South Lake Tahoe joins others to reduce electrical use during eclipse

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - On Monday, August 21, 2017, a total solar eclipse will pass over the Pacific Northwest affecting the California solar resources supplying power to the grid. During the eclipse from 9:02 a.m. to 11:54 a.m., the moon will obscure much of the solar rays directly affecting the output of both large scale photovoltaic (PV) electric power plants and rooftop solar. A loss of 4,194 megawatts(MW) of California large scale solar electricity is expected.

The City of South Lake Tahoe is joining others through a campaign by the California Public Utilities Commission to reduce electrical usage during the eclipse.

The "Do Your Thing for the Sun" campaign aligns with the City's initiative, Reflect the National Treasure in Which we Live.

While our utilities and grid operator have all the tools necessary to manage the grid during the eclipse, what if millions of Californians stepped in to allow our hard working sun to take a break, rather than relying on expensive and inefficient natural gas peaking power plants?

Californians can step in to allow our hard-working sun to take a break. Rather than relying on primarily expensive and inefficient natural gas-peaking power plants, California citizens can unplug from the grid so that we can have cleaner air, keep our system reliable, and send a message to the rest of the country that we don’t have to rely on fossil fuels as the only foundation of our electricity.

Residents, businesses and visitors in South Lake Tahoe can participate by taking the pledge and doing one of the following things:

1. Turn air conditioning thermostats up 2 to 5 degrees
2. Shut down at least 3 power strips
3. Avoid charging electric vehicles or bikes/scooters between 9 am and noon on 8/21
4. Turn off unnecessary lights.
5. Avoid charging electronic devices between 9 am and noon on 8/21
6. Unplug appliances not in use during the eclipse (e.g., toasters, microwaves, TV, printer, fax machine, copiers, etc.)
7. Replace your light bulbs with LEDs
8. Keep doors closed to prevent conditioned (cooled) air from escaping
9. Consider taking lunch early at 11 am and leaving the building you work in if you work indoors

Here is a full story on the impact during the eclipse: https://www.chooseenergy.com/article/2017-solar-eclipse/

To take the official pledge and learn more about Do Your Thing for the Sun, visit CalEclipse.org.