Heatwave

Heatwave Alert

Please help avoid outages by conserving electricity, especially between 3 PM - 10 PM.

Burbank, We Need Your Help to Ensure the Reliable Delivery of Electricity

Many days of heat in a row makes electrical equipment run hotter for longer. Overheated electrical equipment has a higher chance of breaking down, causing outages.

During heatwaves that last for days and nights, electrical equipment bringing electricity to your home or business does not get a chance to cool off. Overheated electrical equipment has a higher chance of breaking down, causing power outages. Air conditioning is the biggest user of electricity during this time. Conserving energy, especially between 3 PM – 10 PM as recently mentioned by the Governor, helps the electrical equipment not to overheat and keeps the power flowing.

Think of it as running your car non-stop for a week. Regardless of the age or how well-maintained your car is, that type of use would stress the components in the engine. By conserving electricity, you will be helping to ensure that you and your neighbors continue to receive power reliably during this heatwave.

Burbank Water and Power's crews are fully staffed and are prepared to respond to electrical equipment-related issues.

Residential Customers

Please help by following these conservation tips, especially during 3 PM – 10 PM

Set your air conditioner thermostat to 78° or higher.
Use large appliances before 3 PM or after 10 PM.
Turn off all unnecessary lights and appliances.
Keep the refrigerator door closed.

Air Conditioning

Pre-cool your home by running the air conditioning at 72° degrees in the early morning (when it is more efficient) and then set your system to 78 or higher during the hottest part of the day.

Smart Energy Usage

Use smart or programmable features to help maintain energy savings when you are not at home.
Turn off unnecessary lighting and use tasks or desktop lamps with LEDs instead of overhead lights.
Enable "power management" on all computers and turn off when not in use.
Unplug phone chargers, power strips (those without a switch), and other equipment when not in use. Taken together, these small items can use as much power as your refrigerator.

Major Appliances

Minimize the opening of refrigerator and freezer doors.
Postpone using major appliances like the oven, dishwasher, clothes washer, and dryer until cooler times of the day to avoid heating up your home.
Run your dishwasher and clothes washer only when full. Wait until after 10 PM to use these and other major appliances.
When possible, wash clothes in cold water.
Turn your electric water heater down to 120° or the "normal" setting.

Commercial Customers

Set thermostats to 78° or higher.
Precool workspace and cycle air conditioning and ventilation.
Turn off equipment that is not in use.
Turn off all unneeded lighting including decorative lighting and display lighting.
Charge batteries before 3 PM or after 10 PM.
Run ice machines in the early afternoon or late at night.
Cover refrigerated display cases.

Rotating Outages Not Anticipated For Burbank

You may hear about rotating outages or "rolling blackouts" asked for by the California Independent System Operator, or CAISO in the news. Most of California’s power grid is managed by CAISO, but not in Burbank. Given Burbank’s production capabilities, power supply, and assistance from customers in conserving energy, Burbank Water and Power does not anticipate the need to institute rotating outages at this time.

Emergency Cooling Center Open at Buena Vista

Los Angeles County has opened an emergency cooling center in Burbank at the Buena Vista Branch Library Meeting Room, 300 N. Buena Vista St. Burbank, CA 91505. The cooling center will be open from September 4 – September 7, 2020, from 12:00 PM – 6:00 PM.

Visitors are required to bring and wear a face covering at the centers and will be subject to a health screening before they are allowed entry.

Learn More >

If you have any questions on how you can conserve energy, call (818) 238-3730 or Email Us >