California’s power operator wants residents to avoid charging electric vehicles at certain hours through Labor Day to ease the stress on the power grid amid extreme heat and high demand.
The request from the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) comes days after the state adopted rules that would ban the sale of gas-powered cars as of 2035.
Power operators said reducing usage during peak hours, from 4 to 9 p.m., would stave off draconian measures like rotating outages.
“The top three conservation actions are to set thermostats to 78 degrees or higher, avoid using large appliances and charging electric vehicles, and turn off unnecessary lights,” the operator said.
The operator cited forecasts that show temperatures in northern California rising to 10-20 degrees higher than normal through Tuesday.
Temperatures in southern California are expected to be 10-18 degrees warmer than normal.
SEE ALSO: Most Americans still not ready to buy electric vehicles
The operator asked residents to ease off charging vehicles even as state officials and President Biden forge ahead with efforts to make electric vehicles the first choice for drivers.
Republicans in Congress have questioned whether the U.S. is ready for the electric-vehicle push, citing the cost of EVs and the energy needed to power them, as underscored by the California request.
Most Americans are still not persuaded to buy electric cars despite the federal government’s multi-billion dollar push.
According to the latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey, only 28% of U.S. adults say electric cars today are practical for most drivers while 54% think they are not practical and 18% are not sure.
The California ban on sales of gas-powered vehicles as of 2035 does not apply to used cars or prohibit using current gas-powered cars.
• Kerry Picket contributed to this report.
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.