Power grid pushed to limit…

© Provided by LA Times
California officials issued a Flex Alert on Wednesday to cope with what’s expected to be the worst heat wave of the year. Above, power lines in Redondo Beach. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

The worst heat wave of the year is presenting a critical test for California’s overtaxed power grid, with officials warning rolling blackouts are possible without major conservation efforts during a week of scorching temperatures.Extreme heat is expected to grip the vast majority of California for at least six days, perhaps even longer. Authorities are worried about power capacity in part because high temperatures are forecast not just across inland regions that typically broil this time of year, but also along many parts of the coast. That could mean many more people reaching for the air conditioning during peak hours.“We are anticipating this extreme heat to be a length and duration the likes of which we haven’t experienced in some time,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said Wednesday in urging residents to conserve power.Temperatures could hit all-time and monthly record highs, and are expected to be 10 to 20 degrees above average during the day with little relief expected come evening. High temperatures could hit 124 degrees in Death Valley. “We’re not super confident on when it’s going to end,” Bill Rasch, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said of the heat wave. Officials are asking Califor …