No Fun in the California Sun

It had to happen. After running through the summer without blackouts, Californians were told Wednesday to raise their thermostats to 78 degrees and avoid charging electric vehicles during peak hours as a heatwave sweeps the state. It’s a good thing that new gas-powered cars won’t be banned until 2035.

Heat waves are not uncommon, and not so long ago, California and other states were able to weather them without emergency measures. No longer. Californians were repeatedly urged last summer to conserve electricity to prevent blackouts. The state has also extended the lifespan of several gas-fired power plants that were scheduled to close, but that wasn’t enough.