California braces for worst heat wave yet

39 million people in California will be hit by the most brutal heat wave yet.

Authorities warned that the chances of blackouts and power outages are high.

«This is about to get significantly more intense,» officials said.

The possibility of power outages in California will increase in the coming days as the state enters the most brutal stretch of the current heat wave this week, officials said Sunday, according to The Associated Press.

Power demand is forecast to outstrip supply beginning Monday night, and predictions for Tuesday show electricity demand rivaling its all-time high, said Elliot Mainzer, president of California Independent System Operators.

The most brutal heat wave so far

Photo: Getty

«This is about to get significantly more intense,» Mainzer told reporters. CAISO is responsible for managing and maintaining the reliability of the electricity grid, a difficult job during the hot season, when the demand for energy soars due to the use of air conditioning in homes.»

MILLIONS OF PEOPLE ON ALERT IN CALIFORNIA

Photo: ShutterstockGrid operators have several options before outages occur, including turning to standby generators, buying more power from other states, and using so-called demand response programs, where people are paid to consume less energy. But keeping the lights on will require Californians to continue to conserve energy, even as temperatures rise. Most of the 39 million Californians will experience extremely hot weather. Temperatures in the Central Valley are forecast to reach 115 degrees Fahrenheit (46 degrees Celsius) for several days. In Los Angeles, meanwhile, temperatures topped 100 °F (38 °C), which is unusually warm for September.