California prison on emergency generator power following power outage amid heat wave

VACAVILLE, California — An overcrowded men’s prison in California was running on power from a backup generator for a third day Tuesday, after a major power outage swept the region over the weekend due to a heat wave.

Utility companies were working to restore service at the California State Prison in Solano after power went out Sunday in parts of Vacaville, about 40 miles (65 kilometers) southwest of Sacramento.

Temperatures in Vacaville reached over 95 degrees Fahrenheit on Sunday, and warm weather was expected all week.

Running water, ice and fans were made available “to help manage heat-related issues,” the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said in a statement.

In addition, medical personnel made rounds to monitor the well-being of the inmates, officials said.

“The health and safety of all individuals who live and work within our facility and in our community are our top priorities. This outage does not jeopardize safety at SOL and we are working to quickly respond to the needs of our population,” the statement said.

Pacific gas & Electricity has been on site since the outage began and is working on repairs. There was no estimate of when power would be restored.

Solano State Prison is one of the most overcrowded prisons in California. In June, the facility housed more than 3,900 men and was at 153% of its intended capacity, according to a report from the Department of Corrections.