To prepare for the Flex Alert, customers can take these steps before 4 p.m.:
- “Pre-cool” homes or lower air-conditioning thermostats.
- Charge electric vehicles.
- Charge mobile devices and laptops.
- Run dishwashers, washing machines and other major appliances.
- Set pool pumps to run in the early morning or late at night.
Here are some other ways customers can conserve energy:
- Set your thermostat to 78 degrees when you are home and to 85 degrees or “off” when you are away.
- Cook with a grill outside, or microwave, to keep your home cooler.
- Give your air conditioner a rest when you can and cool your home with open windows and fans when you can.
- Shut off lights when leaving a room.
- Close your blinds to keep out the afternoon heat.
- Limit the opening and reopening of refrigerators, which are major users of electricity in many homes.
- Plug home electronics into power strips and turn off power strips when equipment is not in use.
- Unplug electronic devices and chargers when they are not in use.
- Give your dryer a break 4-9 p.m. and hang dry your clothes, if you can.
- When possible, businesses should shift power-intensive work to morning or late-evening hours.