California weathers heat wave without rolling blackouts

By ADAM BEAM
Associated Press

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — A brutal Western heat wave brought California to the verge of ordering rolling blackouts but the state’s electrical grid has managed to handle record-breaking demand. The state’s 39 million people were warned Tuesday that demand — some of it from people cranking up air conditioners — might outstrip supply as temperatures in many areas soared past 100 degrees. Power grid managers issued a Stage 3 emergency alert — one step below ordering rotating blackouts — and pleaded with people to reduce their electrical use. Demand reached an all-time high but the alert was canceled at 8 p.m. without major outages. Forecasters say extreme heat will continue in many Western areas through the week.