State agencies are gearing up for the heat wave hitting California this week. Governor Schwarzenegger has activated the state's plan for excessive heat emergencies. That involves regular communication between state and local officials - and could mean the opening of cooling centers across the state. And Cal-ISO, which operates the state's power grid, is asking Californians to conserve power. Spokesman Gregg Fishman says it's especially important in the late afternoon:
Fishman: 3-6 p.m. is the electricity rush hour and if you can avoid getting on the freeway during rush hour it's typically a good idea to do that. It's a good idea to avoid using electricity during these peak demand times as well."
Fishman says they're asking people to use less power between Tuesday and Thursday. That's when the high temperatures are expected to push up demand for air conditioning. He says it's possible California could approach the peak demand record set two summers ago.
