Searing heat across the U.S. Southwest this week boosted electricity demand and prices to record highs and prompted power grid operators in Texas and California to urge energy conservation to avoid outages. Grid operators in Texas and California both dealt with rotating outages over the last year to avoid widespread collapses of their power systems – California due to the heat in August 2020 and Texas in February 2021 after a deep freeze that left millions without heat – some for days. Peak temperatures are forecast to reach 115 degrees Fahrenheit (46°C) in interior California through the week, according to the state’s electric grid operator, which warned the biggest supply deficit could occur on Thursday after the sun goes down and solar […]