California orders rolling blackouts for up to 250,000 homes and businesses

California utility companies are rolling out a massive blackout across the state that could impact some 250,000 homes and businesses, in an effort to curb electricity shortages as more people stay home during the pandemic. 

Grid managers last implemented such a power cut in 2001, when the state was suffering from an electric crisis. On late Friday, the California Independent System Operator declared a Stage 3 emergency, Bloomberg reports. 

Residents in the state still took to the beach on Friday, however, enjoying the blazing heat. 

California utility companies are rolling out a massive blackout across the state that could impact some 250,000 homes and businesses as excessive heat warnings are issued across most of the region

The blackout was underway Friday as most of the state was issued Stage 3 emergency

People and animals enjoyed the heatwave at Dog Beach in Ocean Beach on Friday

This comes as residents are forced to spend more time at home during the pandemic and are using their A/C units more. 

San Joaquin Valley was forecast to have blazing temperatures of 112 degrees Fahrenheit. Los Angeles was expected to reach 96 degrees.  

 On Friday evening, Pacific Gas and Electric Co announced that they were going to cut power to up to 250,000 homes across the state in one hour rotations. 

 PG&E was unable to notify customers before cutting off power due to the Stage 3 emergency.  

According to various reports, around 13,000 homes in Bakersfield, north of L.A., had their power cut off after 6pm.  

Tens of thousands of homes in Northern California also had their power cut by the utility giant. Rolling blackouts occurred in Alameda, San Mateo, Marin and Sonoma counties. 

Meanwhile, Southern California Edison also announced they had cut power to homes in Anaheim, close to Los Angeles, but promised the outages would be no longer than 15 minutes. 

By 9pm, the Stage 3 emergency was lifted, and power began to be restored to most homes.  

However, more enforced shutoffs could be coming over the weekend and into next week as the state still sizzles. 

The National Weather Service says that sweltering conditions are set to stay into next week, with the heatwave set to rival the deadly seven-day heat event in 2006, during which L.A. saw its highest-ever temperature of 119 degrees. 

San Joaquin Valley is set to have blazing temperatures of 112 degrees Fahrenheit. Los Angeles is expected to reach 96 degrees 

While San Diego saw clear skies, some areas of California were experiencing high clouds from tropical storm Elida causing there to be a crimp output in their solar panels

In the San Diego and southern Orange counties areas, Sempra Energy’s San Diego Gas & Electric utility said one-hour rotating shutoffs will be ‘widespread’ across its territory. 

‘The California ISO is working closely with California utilities and neighboring power systems to manage strain on the grid and to restore the power grid to full capacity,’ the agency said in a Friday statement. 

Solar generators for the state will also be impacted as cloud cover from tropical storm Elida is expected to crimp output.  

The National Weather Service forecast an extensive heat wave starting this weekend and lasting until late next week 

A couple rides a pedal boat during a heat wave amid the outbreak of the coronavirus disease, at Echo Park Lake in Los Angeles