How extreme heat is straining California’s electrical grid

Less than a year after a severe heat wave triggered rolling blackouts in California, soaring temperatures are once again straining the state’s electrical system.

California’s grid operator on Thursday called on residents to reduce their energy use as triple-digit heat seared the central and southwestern parts of the state and its neighbors, breaking temperature records in some places. The “flex alert” is the first issued by the California Independent System Operator so far in 2021 and comes days before the official start of summer.