Extreme Heat and Blackouts - Wesley Kokal
Extreme Heat days and large heat waves have been common across California. This trend is all throughout California. Cal Adapt projects up to 20 days a year with extreme heat by 2050 (above 103.5 F) This weather has led to power outages across the state due to the large demand for energy put on the energy suppliers to provide cool air for homes and businesses during these sometimes dangerously hot days. According to the Los Angeles Times, the over demand for energy on the weekend of July 12th 2018 left approximately 80,000 people without energy with some of them being without energy for nearly two days.
In Chico, CA many of the homes that are lived in by students are insufficiently insulated to retain cool air while minimizing energy use requiring large amounts of energy for each house to maintain a livable temperature. Surging energy use in the city during this time of the day can lead to power outages across these areas students live in. With these areas being unprotected from power loss by the suppliers (PGE), a large demand will be put on the university to maintain student health in ways that they are not prepared for. The university may have to shut down certain parts of the university to be able to offer cool down centers for students in need.
