Thousands lose power in California heat

LOS ANGELES – Parts of Southern California sweltered in triple-digit temperatures Monday as a heat wave stretched into the seventh day and contributed to power outages that left thousands without air conditioning.

Temperatures soared in the San Fernando Valley with Woodland Hills reporting 102 and Van Nuys 99, according to the National Weather Service.

Southern California Edison said 20,000 customers in Los Angeles, Orange, Ventura, Riverside and San Bernardino counties had no electricity, spokesman Steve Conroy said.

San Diego Gas and Electric Co., which serves San Diego County and southern Orange County, declared a power emergency and began preparing for potential rolling blackouts as demand hit a record.

About 30,000 of its customers experienced outages Monday, but electricity was restored to 22,000 of them by the afternoon, spokesman Peter Hidalgo said.

About 3,500 customers in scattered parts of Los Angeles were without power as well, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power spokeswoman MaryAnne Piersen said.