Millions of California residents are facing potential blackouts Monday night as a stifling heat wave has forced energy companies to relieve stress on the state’s grid.
The California Independent System Operator, or ISO, which manages most of the state’s electric flow, warned that it had instructed companies to turn off power in rolling blackouts because of high electricity demands as residents try to cool their homes. California ISO CEO and President Steve Berberich said the state is short about 4,400 megawatts, which equates to about 3.3 million homes.
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an emergency proclamation Monday that allows some users and utilities to use “backup energy sources” during peak times.
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The California ISO issued a Stage 3 power emergency alert Friday. The alert ordered the first rolling outages in the state in nearly 20 years.
Power was cut to 410,000 homes and businesses Friday for about an hour at a time by three of the state’s largest utilities — Pacific Gas & Electric, Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas and Electric, NBC Bay Area reported.
San Diego Gas and Electric issued a statement Monday urging customers to conserve energy as weather conditions could force more widespread outages in the coming days.
“The heatwave is forecasted to continue through Thursday, and CAISO is anticipating a significant shortfall in energy supply needed to meet the exceptionally high energy demand,” the statement said.
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Newsom sent a letter dated Monday to the California ISO and the California Energy Commission requesting an investigation.
“Residents, communities and other governmental organizations did not receive sufficient warning that these de-energizations could occur,” Newsom wrote. “Collectively, energy regulators failed to anticipate this event and to take necessary actions to ensure reliable power to Californians. This cannot stand. California residents and businesses deserve better from their government.”
Flex alerts were issued through Wednesday asking residents to be vigilant in conserving energy around their homes through simple actions like turning off unnecessary lights and appliances, as well as setting air conditioner thermostats at about 78 degrees or higher.
The Associated Press contributed.
