California is again urging residents not to charge EVs during busy travel weekends.

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California’s electric grid operator this week called on residents to make big cuts in electricity consumption, warning of worsening grid conditions during the heat wave.

The California Independent System Operator (CAISO) warned on Sunday that it is stepping up calls for customers to cut back on electric service due to historic heat, according to an announcement. CAISO asked residents to set their thermostats to at least 78 degrees, turn off all “non-essential lights” and avoid using large appliances or charging their electric vehicles (EVs) between 4-9pm.

CAISO President and CEO Elliot Meinzer said in a statement on Sunday that this multi-day event will get even more intense starting tomorrow. “For Monday, we are facing a load forecast of 48,817 megawatts and a power shortfall of 2,000 to 4,000 megawatts, which is the most likely cycle we have seen so far this winter.”

“We appreciate the continued efforts of electricity consumers to help us maintain reliability in these very difficult conditions,” he said.

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California car emissions sound

August 25, 2022 A car stops at an electric charging station in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu/AP Newsroom)

The call for reduced EV fees comes during one of the busiest travel weekends of the year, the Labor Day holiday. The weekend is expected to be the busiest Labor Day for travel in three years, according to AAA.

California Gov. Newsom signed an executive order to increase electricity supply as the state braces for a major heat wave

Monday was the sixth day in a row that CAISO asked residents to reduce electricity consumption. The grid operator has extended its Monday alert until 10pm to save more power.

“Monday and Tuesday are still expected to be the most challenging days, with high temperatures forecast for Tuesday and an expected electricity demand of 50,099 megawatts,” the advisory said.

CAISO explained that consumers should pre-cool their homes and use the main appliances before 4:00 pm because the state’s solar energy resources are “extreme”. In recent years, California has pushed to rapidly transition away from fossil fuel power generation, and by 2021, the nation’s largest source of electricity would be solar.

Tracy, California

A view of windmills and power lines in Tracy, California, on August 17, 2022. (Reuters/Carlos Baria/Reuters Photos/Reuters Photos)

In late August, the state government passed an environmental regulation banning the sale of traditional internal combustion engine vehicles after 2034. All new car sales must be EVs by 2035.

“California’s leaders are unrealistic when it comes to good energy policy,” Daniel Turner, the energy group’s founder and executive director, said in a statement last week.

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“The temperature is rising, and residents are being asked to put down their everyday appliances and air conditioners for the long holiday weekend,” he continued. “Welcome to the green utopia that Joe Biden, Gavin Newsom and the rest of the eco-left want for the rest of the country. The consequences would be laughable if they weren’t so damaging.”

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