Californians are being asked to conserve power for the eighth day in a row as the state’s grid operator expects more strain on the energy grid and possibly rotating outages on Wednesday. Despite record demand on Tuesday, 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. As the heat wave continues through the week, another call for energy conservation today aims at reducing the risk of possible rotating outages.In the event that the state grid operator orders rolling blackouts, you can check below to see if your home will be impacted.How to check PG&E rotating outages across California 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 outagesThe Sacramento Municipal Utility District is also preparing for possible outages. Click here to search by address. Monitor power outages statewideYou 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’s grid operator says miscommunication led to some power shutoffsMiscommunication led utilities to mistakenly cut power to customers in several California cities during unprecedented demand on energy supplies, operators of the state’s electricity grid acknowledged Wednesday while warning the continuing extreme heat could prompt much larger rolling outages.Confusion occurred Tuesday afternoon between several Northern California utilities and the California Independent System Operator as the grid was perilously close to running out of energy amid record-breaking temperatures, said Elliot Mainzer, president and CEO of Cal-ISO.”That is certainly concerning to me,” Mainzer said, adding that he was looking into what happened and how many customers were affected. “There was a lot happening on the grid for everybody last night. And so we’ll we’ll double down on the communication to make sure that doesn’t happen again.”With record demand on power supplies across the West, California snapped its record energy use around 5 p.m. with 52,061 megawatts, far above the previous high of 50,270 megawatts set July 24, 2006.Watch Below | When you can see some relief from triple-digit heat in Northern CaliforniaCalifornia is on its 8th straight day of being asked to conserve energyCal 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., and that alert was elevated to an EEA 3 at 5:30 p.m. What you can do to save energySet the thermostat at 78 degrees or higher, if health permitsAvoid using major appliancesTurn off unnecessary lightsUse fans for coolingUnplug unused items| VIDEO BELOW | What is a ‘heat dome?’ | RELATED | Why to put a quarter on a frozen cup of water before losing power and more outage tips
Californians are being asked to conserve power for the eighth day in a row as the state’s grid operator expects more strain on the energy grid and possibly rotating outages on Wednesday.
Despite record demand on Tuesday, 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.
As the heat wave continues through the week, another call for energy conservation today aims at reducing the risk of possible rotating outages.
In the event that the state grid operator orders rolling blackouts, you can check below to see if your home will be impacted.
How to check PG&E rotating outages across California
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’s grid operator says miscommunication led to some power shutoffs
Miscommunication led utilities to mistakenly cut power to customers in several California cities during unprecedented demand on energy supplies, operators of the state’s electricity grid acknowledged Wednesday while warning the continuing extreme heat could prompt much larger rolling outages.
Confusion occurred Tuesday afternoon between several Northern California utilities and the California Independent System Operator as the grid was perilously close to running out of energy amid record-breaking temperatures, said Elliot Mainzer, president and CEO of Cal-ISO.
“That is certainly concerning to me,” Mainzer said, adding that he was looking into what happened and how many customers were affected. “There was a lot happening on the grid for everybody last night. And so we’ll we’ll double down on the communication to make sure that doesn’t happen again.”
With record demand on power supplies across the West, California snapped its record energy use around 5 p.m. with 52,061 megawatts, far above the previous high of 50,270 megawatts set July 24, 2006.
Watch Below | When you can see some relief from triple-digit heat in Northern California
California is on its 8th 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., and that alert was elevated to an EEA 3 at 5:30 p.m.
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
| VIDEO BELOW | What is a ‘heat dome?’
| RELATED | Why to put a quarter on a frozen cup of water before losing power and more outage tips
Read More:SMUD and PG&E rotating outage info
2022-09-07 23:26:00
