Summer energy conservation: preparing for power outages

Summer heat can be dangerous and cause power outages.

In sweltering summer heat, air conditioning is crucial.

But extreme heat causes more people to use their air conditioning systems, putting higher demand on the power grid.

Supply cannot always keep up with demand, overloading the electrical grid.

SoCal Edison is working to prevent power outages, especially in desert summers.

They suggest shifting some or most electricity usage away from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., when electricity costs more to generate and deliver.

They also recommend avoiding the use of energy-intensive appliances during those hours.

One way to keep your home cool and save energy is to pre-cool your home during cooler hours of the day.

Additionally, SCE recommends using curtains and fans to help keep your home cool.

Stay with News Channel 3 for more information on how you and your community can prevent blackouts this summer.