Power Demand Soars In California As Heat Wave Lingers

Sacramento, CA — California continues to bake in a heat wave that has sent temperatures soaring above 100 degrees from the north to the south.

The California Independent System Operator says the demand for electricity Friday peaked at more than 49,000 megawatts. That beat the previous record set Monday.

The temperature reached 120 degrees Friday in Palm Springs, shattering a 54-year-old record for the date of 117 degrees. It was 112 in L-A´s´ Woodland Hills section, breaking the 1976 record by two degrees and marking the 16th consecutive day temperatures exceeded 100.

In Northern California it was 109 in Stockton and 111 in Ukiah and Vacaville. In Kern County, the coroner´s office is investigating whether scorching temperatures were responsible for four deaths over the past two weeks.