California orders rolling blackouts for up to 250,000 homes and businesses as heat wave grips the state

California orders rolling blackouts for up to 250,000 homes and businesses as heat wave grips the state with temperatures hitting 112 degrees and crowds flocking to beaches

California utility companies are rolling out a massive blackout across the state that could impact some 250,000 homes and businesses, in an effort to curb electricity shortages as more people stay home during the pandemic. 

Grid managers last implemented such a power cut in 2001, when the state was suffering from an electric crisis. On late Friday, the California Independent System Operator declared a Stage 3 emergency, Bloomberg reports. 

Residents in the state still took to the beach on Friday, however, enjoying the blazing heat. 

California utility companies are rolling out a massive blackout across the state that could impact some 250,000 homes and businesses as excessive heat warnings are issued across most of the region

The blackout was underway Friday as most of the state was issued Stage 3 emergency

LIGHTS OUT: South Pasadena has gone dark after Cal ISO declared a statewide Stage 3 Electrical Emergency, prompting rolling power outages https://t.co/alu4T00hpw pic.twitter.com/yogVInMjmm

— KCAL News (@kcalnews) August 15, 2020

This comes as intense heat waves meat countless residents forced to spend more time at home, Californians are using more of their AC units. 

Forecast see the San Joaquin Valley having blazing temperatures of 112 degrees Fahrenheit. Los Angeles is expected to reach 96 degrees. 

As many as 250,000 homes and businesses served by Pacific Gas and Electric Co, could be impacted by the outage, according to the company. They noted that counterparts in other areas of the state were ‘being directed to take similar actions,’ the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Forecast see the San Joaquin Valley having blazing temperatures of 112 degrees Fahrenheit. Los Angeles is expected to reach 96 degrees

While San Diego saw clear skies, some areas of California were experiencing high clouds from tropical storm Elida causing there to be a crimp output in their solar panels

In the San Diego and southern Orange counties area, Sempra Energy’s San Diego Gas & Electric utility said a one-hour rotating shutoffs will be ‘widespread’ across its territory. 

‘The California ISO is working closely with California utilities and neighboring power systems to manage strain on the grid and to restore the power grid to full capacity,’ the agency said in a Friday statement. 

The National Weather Service forecast an extensive heat wave starting this weeknd and lasting until late next week. Excessive heat warnings have been issued for much of California for Friday through Wednesday.

Solar generators for the state will also be impacted as cloud cover from tropical storm Elida is expected to crimp output.  

The National Weather Service forecast an extensive heat wave starting this weeknd and lasting until late next week