Fergie's Tech Blog

Sweltering California Declares Power Emergency

People stand in front of a grid showing power distribution at the California Independent System Operator in Los Angeles on Monday.
Image source: MSNBC / Ann Johansson / STR

A record-breaking heat wave pushed California's power grid close to the breaking point Monday, with rolling blackouts possible unless people turn down air conditioning and take other steps to save power, managers of the power grid said.

In a situation that recalled the 2000-2001 energy crisis, an estimated 100,000 Californians were without power on Monday morning. That was down from more than 1 million homes and businesses over the weekend, a check with the state's largest utilities showed.

With temperatures exceeding 100 degrees in parts of the state, the California Independent System Operator (Cal ISO) called a Stage 2 power emergency at 1:01 p.m., three hours after the state declared a Stage 1 emergency. Under a Stage 1 emergency, consumers were urged to reduce electricity use voluntarily.

posted by Fergie @ 7/24/2006 02:02:00 PM