California

California Grid Operator: No Outages Expected Amid Heatwave

There's enough electricity to serve the expected spike in demand, California Independent System Operator said in a statement Saturday

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California's power grid operator said it's not anticipating energy supply outages over the next few days as temperatures are expected to soar to triple digits in the state's interior.

There's enough electricity to serve the expected spike in demand, California Independent System Operator said in a statement Saturday, but it will monitor the grid closely in case it needs to call on the public to conserve.

ISO has said the state is better prepared to avoid last summer’s rotating blackouts. However, they cautioned the power grid of the nation’s most populous state is still vulnerable to extreme heat waves that could force more outages.

State officials say they have acquired an additional 3,500 megawatts of capacity ahead of a likely scorching summer that threatens to increase demand beyond what the grid can handle. That includes an additional 2,000 megawatts of batteries designed to store energy generated from renewable sources — like solar — that stop working when it gets dark.

In general, one megawatt of energy is enough to power hundreds of homes, depending on how it is generated.

Temperatures in inland California are expected to soar above 100 degrees as a high pressure system builds over the region between Sunday to Wednesday, the National Weather Service said.

Public health officials are urging residents to stay hydrated, find shade, and take breaks to avoid heat exhaustion.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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