California’s state grid operator says rolling blackouts due to a shortfall in electricity supply “could be imminent.”
As Tuesday is expected to be similar to Monday with record-high temperatures, major utility companies braced for possible outages.
Luckily, California was able to narrowly avoid rotating outages. The California Office of Emergency Services sent out an emergency alert to people’s phones shortly before 6 p.m.
There was a noticeable drop in energy demand shortly after that alert.
Cal OES deputy director Brian Ferguson spoke with KCRA 3 reporter Melanie Wingo about the strategy of using the alert. Watch below.
However, the heat wave continues through the week, and another call for energy conservation was made to help reduce the risk of possible rotating outages.
How to check PG&E rotating outages across California
In preparation, PG&E said it notified about 525,277 customers to prepare for rotating outages this evening. The utility released a search map that allows customers to search and see if their home would be impacted. Click here to search by address.
How to search SMUD’s map of rotating outages
The Sacramento Municipal Utility District is also preparing for possible outages. Click here to search by address.
Monitor power outages statewide
You can also track outages across California with this map below that uses data from the California Office of Emergency Services. App users, click here.
California is on its 7th straight day of being asked to conserve energy
Cal ISO issues what it calls Flex Alerts as a voluntary call for Californians to reduce energy. These are usually done on hotter days when energy use is expected to increase. On Monday, energy use nearly outpaced actual supply, which prompted an Energy Emergency Alert 2, which is one step away from Cal ISO saying rolling blackouts are imminent.
On Tuesday, another EEA 2 was issued from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., but that alert is expected to be elevated to an EEA 3 at 5:30 p.m. That means rotating outages “could be imminent,” according to Cal ISO.
University of California Berkeley energy professor and California Independent System Operator (ISO) board of governors member Severin Borenstein said a massive spike in demand for power translates to more megawatts of power being used than normal.
“On a normal summer day in California, the system demand is about 30,000 megawatts. On these super peak days, it’s about 50,000 megawatts,” he said.
What you can do to save energy
- Set the thermostat at 78 degrees or higher, if health permits
- Avoid using major appliances
- Turn off unnecessary lights
- Use fans for cooling
- Unplug unused items
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