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Photo taken on July 4, 2020 shows the closed Santa Monica beach in Los Angeles County, the United States. (Xinhua)
Many counties in Southern California reported outrage after the local authoritiesdeclared the emergency measure Friday to maintain the stability of power system due to a heat wave.
LOS ANGELES, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- As a heat wave hit U.S. state of California this weekend, the local authorities declared a statewide Stage 3 Electrical Emergency, initiating rotating outages throughout the state for the first time since 2001.
Many counties in Southern California, including Los Angeles, Orange and Ventura among others reported outrage after the California Independent System Operator (Cal ISO) who manages the power load across the Golden State declared the emergency measure Friday to maintain the stability of power system.
Los Angeles County is the most populous county in the United States, with more than 10 million inhabitants as of 2018 and the Los Angeles metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of nearly 20 million residents.
Cities in Southern California said they suffered blackout varying between 15 minutes and 1 hour Friday night. And the statewide Stage 3 status was called off after local time 10:00 P.M.
People have fun at Pacifica beach in San Mateo County, the United States, June 1, 2020. (Photo by Li Jianguo/Xinhua)
Also on Friday, Cal ISO issued a statewide flex alert, under which Californians are being urged to turn off unnecessary lights, use major appliance before 3 p.m. and after 10 p.m., and set their air conditioner thermostats to 78 degrees Fahrenheit (25.5 degrees Celsius) or higher.
"California will be experiencing near-record or record-breaking heat, up to 10-20 degrees above normal in some areas," ISO said in a statement, adding it tried to manage the strain on the grid to limit any potential power disruptions.
Excessive heat warnings were issued by National Weather Service on Saturday morning and will be in effect till next Wednesday for most of the Southern California.
Triple-digit temperatures are forecast for the Inland Empire, Orange County, the Ventura County coasts and valleys, and could reach as high as 120 degrees Fahrenheit (48.9 degrees Celsius) in the low deserts.
