DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: A heat wave in California is causing some challenges in dealing with power. Tim Herrera (ph) of our affiliate KCRA has more on that.</s>TIM HERRERA, KCRA REPORTER (voice-over): It's hot and it will stay hot on the west coast for the next new days. That's creating an increased demand for electricity and it's forcing utilities to call on customers for help.</s>ROBERT ZEMAN: We're not using our air conditioner as much as we, you know, normally do. So, we're not -- we're making sure we're turning off the lights and stuff in rooms that we -- we're not in and we are trying.</s>HERRERA: CAL-ISO called a stage 2 electrical emergency, because reserves dipped below five percent. The potential for a stage three and rolling blackouts is likely later this week. Officials are asking consumers to go beyond normal conservation efforts.</s>KEILAN FLUCKIGER, CAL-ISO: You know, if you're not home and it's not going to hurt something, turn your AC off for the afternoon, not just raise it, those kinds of things.</s>HERRERA: Power grid operators were able to purchase hydropower from Arizona to help ease the system. SMUD (ph) cycled air conditioning for select Sacramento area customers for about 10 minutes every half-hour in an attempt to avoid overloads.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're going to be probably looking at cycling for at least a couple of more days.</s>KAGAN: That was Tim Herrera from CNN affiliate KCRA in Sacramento.
California Heat Wave Creates Power Shortages