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For the City of LA’s COVID-19 response, visit corona-virus.la
For LADWP’s COVID-19 response, visit www.ladwp.com/covid19response

Save Power and Stay Safe During Heat Wave

Save Power and Stay Safe During Heat Wave

Cooling Centers Open Throughout Los Angeles
LOS ANGELES — As a heat wave blankets Los Angeles today, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) is urging customers to conserve energy use where possible, especially between the hours of 11:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., while not jeopardizing their health and safety.

“During times of extreme heat, we strongly encourage customers to conserve energy wherever possible as long as it does not jeopardize anyone’s own health or safety or the health and safety of their pets,” General Manager Marcie Edwards said.

To provide relief from heat, Los Angeles City and County cooling centers are available at libraries, senior centers, and other facilities.

Reducing energy use can help customers save costs and prevent power outages that can occur if power system equipment heats up and becomes overloaded. Extreme heat not only leads to more people operating their air conditioners all at once but also causes other appliances to work harder in order to perform.

LADWP said that all power generating units are available, and planned outages for maintenance have been postponed to ensure that adequate power is available to meet customers’ needs during the heat wave. With temperatures topping 100 degrees in the San Fernando Valley and other parts of the city, the power forecast is expected to hit the year’s highest demand so far – about 5,700 megawatts. The all-time peak power demand was 6,396 megawatts, reached on Sept. 16, 2014. Power use in Los Angeles averages about 4,700 megawatts during the summer, and usually increases in late August through September.

To help reduce energy use, LADWP recommends the following as highly effective conservation measures:

  • Adjust thermostat to 78 degrees to reduce energy usage during the hottest hours of the day when air conditioning systems have to work hardest to cool.
  • Limit the use of appliances during peak hours of the day- use washing machines, dishwashers, vacuum cleaners and other heavy appliances during evening hours.
  • Close draperies, shades or blinds during the heat of the day to reduce the extra heat from direct sunlight.
  • Ventilate your home by opening windows and doors to clear out the heat and allow cooler air to circulate.
  • Turn off lights and equipment when they are not in use.
  • Unplug “energy vampires” like cell phone chargers, DVD players, microwave ovens and other appliances that use energy even when turned off or in sleep mode.

More information on energy-saving tips and programs is available at www.MyLADWP.com. Select “How to Save” from the drop-down menu.

View the complete list of LA County Cooling Centers.

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