California doesn't have the capability to support the electric car push: Shellenberger
Environmental Progress founder Michael Shellenberger says California is 'incredibly poorly managed' as Gov. Newsom pushes an electric vehicle mandate that could stress the power grid
California Gov. Gavin Newsom touted that The Golden State had avoided emergency power outages Tuesday night, tweeting praise for state residents for reducing their energy consumption to combat record-high grid demands. However, some Twitter users pushed back against his claims.
"Record-breaking temperatures. More demand on our energy grid than ever before. But we avoided emergency power outages tonight. We can do this. If we keep it up we can get through this unprecedented heatwave," Newsom wrote.
The tweet comes as Californians continue bearing the brunt of a relentless record-breaking heat wave as energy grid demands exceed supplies.
Newsom, who sparked controversy with a proposal to ban the sale of all gas-powered vehicles in his state by 2035, a proposal that would likely add millions of electric vehicles to the grid, also encouraged Californians who already own one to avoid charging them to reduce their energy consumption in recent weeks.
CALIFORNIA GOV. GAVIN NEWSOM DECLARES STATE OF EMERGENCY AMID EXTREME HEAT
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 01: California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks during a news conference after meeting with students at James Denman Middle School on October 01, 2021 in San Francisco, California. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
Outrage ensued in the comments, however, with multiple Twitter users critiquing Newsom's claim that California avoided emergency power outages Tuesday night, many pointed out they sat in the dark for hours.
"What's the temperature set at in your multiple homes?" asked attorney and former California GOP chairwoman Harmeet K. Dhillon.
GAVIN NEWSOM BLASTED FOR ASKING CALIFORNIANS TO AVOID CHARGING ELECTRIC VEHICLES DURING HEAT WAVE
Republican California Assembly candidate Lori Mills ripped Newsom as well, tearing into his long-touted green energy initiatives which many critics believe are behind the state's energy grid struggles.
"How about you unleash your energy! Upgrade the grid! Your "green" policies are destroying the state AND the environment!" she tweeted. "Get the Delta conversion project done! Stop your attack on clean oil! Stop your attack on our truckers!"
FILE - In this Aug. 15, 2020 file photo an automobile drives down a road as radiant heat is seen coming off of the pavement near high tension electrical lines in the North Hollywood section of Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel,File)
Singer/songwriter Bradley Skistimas, known as Five Times August, criticized Newsom as well, calling back to the infamously-uttered "two weeks to flatten the curve" rhetoric which set off the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S., but applied it to reducing energy statewide in California.
"Just two weeks to flatten the curve! Amiright?" he wrote.
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Others called out Newsom for other issues rampant in California, including homelessness and public defecation, labeling Newsom as incompetent.
Newsom's supporters flooded the comments as well, pointing to the Democrat as an example for Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to follow suit with The Lone Star State's energy grid.