Operators of California's power grid called for statewide voluntary conservation of electricity on Wednesday and Thursday as a heat wave spread over the West and they warned that there could be energy shortages if conditions worsen.

The call for conservation between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. on both days came as excessive-heat warnings expanded to all of Southern California and up into the Central Valley, and were predicted to spread into Northern California later in the week.

On Wednesday, Governor Gavin Newsom discussed the heat wave expected to impact California and the West Coast, lasting through Labor Day weekend until next Wednesday.

He shared ways Californians can stay safe from extreme heat, the strain the extreme weather will place on the grid, and state actions to respond to the immediate emergency and accelerate the state's transition away from fossil fuels that worsen extreme heat.

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