Power reserves were short again yesterday during a continuingheat wave in California, and the state’s independent systemoperator (ISO) had to declare a stage one emergency, meaningreserves were below 7% of expected peak demand, or about 3,000 MW,outages were possible and electricity conservation was a priority.

As of about 12:30 p.m. demand was at 39,095 MW but was projectedto peak at 43,694 MW, or about 2,190 MW from the record set July12, 1999. The highest demand so far this summer occurred on July 14when the ISO reported 43,630 MW, excluding the curtailments thatday of interruptible (IT) demand and voluntary firm reductions.There is about 2,500 MW of power flowing under IT contracts in thestate. Most of the IT is in SoCal Edison’s territory. PG&E hasonly about 500 MW of IT, and SDG&E has 40 MW of IT.

“We got the heat and we have generation off line. As of thismorning we were limited by about 1,600 MW totally out of serviceand then we have another group of generators where we are limitedby about 1,100 MW. Most of it is in Edison’s territory but there issome in other parts of the state.,” said ISO spokesman PatrickDorinson.

He said the heat wave is expected to lose some strengthtomorrow. Los Angeles has been hot for a week and the valleys arevery hot as is the desert Southwest. “It’s still there. As YogiBerra said it’s kind of d‚j… vu all over again.”

A Stage One Emergency takes effect when operating reserves fallbelow 7%. A Stage Two is declared when reserves drop below 5%. Atthis level, large commercial customers that have signed up tovoluntarily curtail power during high demand days will be asked todo so. If an operating reserve shortfall of less than 1.5% isunavoidable, Stage Three is initiated. Involuntary curtailments ofservice to customers including “rotating blackouts” are probableduring this emergency declaration.

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