Governor calls for conservation

Taking proactive steps to avoid an energy crisis, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is asking Californians to cut back their electricity consumption before there is a problem:

The governor made the announcement on Thursday

"In 2000 and 2001, Californians conserved power in record amounts," said Schwarzenegger in a news release. "Their actions reduced blackouts and saved the state millions of dollars. While we anticipate ample power supplies across the state, exceptionally hot weather or other extraordinary events may cause our power supplies to tighten. Because of that, I'm asking our citizens to revive their energy conservation efforts."

The state debuted a series TV commercials on Thursday that were part of a Flex Your Power campaign that would encourage residents conserver during peak usage periods during the day.