As a brutal heat wave cooks the West in the run-up to Labor Day, California’s power grid manager is calling on electric vehicle owners to avoid charging at peak times. The request is part of a broader effort to keep the state’s grid up and running, while locals crank their air conditioners to outlast a streak of blazing-hot days.
Through at least September 2, the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) is asking residents to conserve energy by “setting thermostats to 78 degrees or higher, if health permits, avoiding use of major appliances and turning off unnecessary lights” from 4 to 9 p.m. Pacific. “They should also avoid charging electric vehicles” during that time frame, added the nonprofit, which oversees California’s grid and energy market.
CAISO cautioned in a separate note that it may issue further calls to safeguard electricity “through the Labor D …
