California Declares Grid State of Emergency As Odds of Blackouts Rise
Millions of Americans may lose power ... US infrastructure crumbling ... extreme weather continues in sizzling Southern California.
California Declares Grid Emergency As Odds of Blackouts Rise
Brian K. Sullivan and Mark Chediak
Mon, September 5, 2022, 4:19 PM·3 min read
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(Bloomberg) -- California declared a power grid emergency Monday as a blistering and sustained heat wave threatens to push the state’s electricity system beyond its limit.
With millions of homes and businesses cranking air conditioners to cope with temperatures above 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43.3 Celsius), electricity use in the largest US state is forecast to hit the highest level since 2017, raising the specter of blackouts.
“Rotating outages are a possibility today,” said Elliot Mainzer, chief executive officer of the California Independent System Operator, known as Caiso, which runs the state’s grid. To avoid blackouts, consumers will need to ramp up conservation by two or three times, Mainzer said Monday during a media briefing.
“We are now moving into the extreme part of this heat wave, and really stepping up those actions will be essential for maintaining reliability,” Mainzer said. If voluntary conservation measures fall short Monday, Caiso will declare a level-2 grid emergency, which would free up more generation supplies, he said. Rotating blackouts would be used as a last resort.
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