Heat Wave Spawns California Power Grid Emergency

Bloomberg News reports:

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.

Read the full article.

BREAKING: California declared a power grid emergency as a blistering and sustained heat wave threatens to push the state’s electricity system to its limit https://t.co/KIyqUTGY7e

— Bloomberg (@business) September 5, 2022