Ahead of intense heat in the coming days and into next week, the state's grid operator is preparing for increased power usage.Cal ISO, the California Independent System Operator, is also asking customers to do their part to ease stress on the power grid during this time.“When we hit these heat waves, we’re seeing more load on the system,” said Severin Borenstein, a professor at Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley, and the faculty director of the Energy Institute at Haas. “We really are going to have a tight weekend due to the extreme heat and do need people to be cognizant of that.”Severin said customers are increasingly being called to be a part of the solution as agencies and researchers alike work to mitigate rising temperatures and heat events, like the one arriving on the West Coast this week. “Climate change is really changing the way these heat events happen,” Borenstein said. “They’re getting a bit hotter. Secondly, they’re taking over the entire western U.S. at the same time, and that’s important because California imports a lot of our electricity from our neighboring states and we rely on getting power from them during these times when we really need more.”Borenstein also serves on the Board of Governors for CAL ISO, which monitors the state’s electricity needs and power grid capabilities. “The biggest increase on these hottest days is air conditioning and the single most important thing people can do to help out the system is use a little less air conditioning,” Borenstein said.A spokesperson for Cal ISO said that Tuesday crews are monitoring the next seven days closely, but focusing extra attention on Monday and Tuesday “because peak loads are expected to occur on those days.”CAL ISO is asking consumers to prepare for Flex Alerts, which is a voluntary call to action for residents to use less power for a period of time while the grid experiences extra strain due to increased power use.The expected heat may feel reminiscent, for some, of California's rolling blackouts in 2020. Borenstein said he thinks the state is in a better position in 2022. Listen why here:CAL ISO said customers can help ease pressure on the grid by easing power usage between 4-9 p.m: set thermostats to 78 degrees avoid using large appliances turn out unnecessary lights. “Flex Alerts have been an effective way to lower electricity use and help the grid through the most stressed time on the grid,” a spokesperson said in a statement.While CAL ISO controls the power grid, Pacific Gas & Electric Co. is also encouraging customers to do their part to ease usage.“To reduce strain on the grid, we recommend that customers use their major appliances – washer, dryer dishwasher, oven and stove — use those earlier in the day because it's hot in the late afternoon,” said Megan McFarland, a PG&E spokesperson.McFarland recommended closing the shades to windows, too.“PG&E doesn’t have a role in deciding whether there is a FlexAlert but we do have a role of encouraging customers to do their part to save energy,” McFarland said. Cal ISO staff members are monitoring the weather into next week with extra attention being placed on Monday and Tuesday’s temperatures, according to a spokesperson.