Heat wave results in record highs and power outages
Bay City News Service
July 23, 2006
Record-high temperatures were recorded throughout the Bay Area
Saturday, as sweltering heat prompted a statewide power alert
and thousands remain without electricity today.
The National Weather Service reports an unusually strong high
pressure is causing the sweltering heat and is expected to last
at least through today.
The National Weather service reports record highs were seen in
San Rafael at 108 degrees, Oakland at 94, San Francisco at 87,
San Jose at 103, Moffett Field at 101, Napa at 107. San Francisco
International Airport hit 97 and Oakland Airport hit 94.
Heat wave-related outages affecting over 50,000 customers across
the Bay Area began Friday evening, according to Pacific Gas &
Electric Co. spokeswoman Darlene Chiu.
Some 36,533 remain without power in the East Bay, 23,849 in the
South Bay, 1,551 in the North Bay, and 5,383 in San Francisco
and the Peninsula, Chiu said this morning.
"We're waiting for our equipment to cool down,'' she said.
"Please continue to conserve and don't use electricity unless
you must.''
A heat advisory remains in effect for inland areas through today
and high smog levels have paved the way for another Spare the
Air day.
Once again, the Bay Area Air Quality District is asking Bay Area
residents to cut back on gasoline-powered activities like driving
and mowing the lawn.
According to the California Independent System Operator, which
monitors the state's power grid, a stage one alert was declared
Saturday following record energy demand and a tripped line at
a Northern California power plant.
The ISO is urging residents to set thermostats to 78 degrees
or higher and turn off all unneeded lights and electronics, especially
during peak afternoon hours.
In San Jose Saturday, around 20 people were treated for heat
exhaustion after some of them collapsed at an all-day San Jose
music festival, according to San Jose Fire Department spokesman
Michael Shaw said.
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