LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — The California Independent System Operator Friday declared a statewide Stage 3 Electrical Emergency due to high heat and increased electricity demand — initiating rotating outages throughout the state — for the first time since 2001.
“Several days ago we started seeing the weather forecast and we knew this was going to be a uniquely excessive, very hot heat wave,” Ann Gonzales, of Cal, ISO said. “And so we started at that point ordering our generators to stay online and to defer maintenance so that we would have everything in service.”
On Thursday, Gonzales said the operator was looking to increase the capacity but were unable to secure additional power. On Friday at about 6:36, Cal ISO declared the Stage 3 emergency as demand outpaced availability. “The California ISO is working closely with California utilities and neighboring power systems to manage strain on the grid and to restore the power grid to full capacity,” the operator said in a statement. “As portions of the grid are restored, local utilities will restore power in a coordinated fashion.”
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The rolling outages will not impact Los Angeles Department of Water and Power customers, according to the department.
“LADWP is a municipally owned utility and owns its own generation, but has the ability to buy and sell power back and forth to the rest of the grid as needed and as available,” the department said in a statement. “Our own generation and transmission are the reasons we aren’t affected.”
As of 7:12 p.m., Southern California Edison confirmed it had started rolling power outages but would not specify in which regions due to public safety concerns.