California’s grid operator this week brushed off recent FERC staff criticism of its handling of last summer’s heat wave that resulted in state-ordered rolling blackouts throughout the nation’s most populous state last Aug. 14-15.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s staff concluded that the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) overestimated the capacity available from demand response and renewables. Critics in the industry also speculated that it was an indication the state is relying too much on power from intermittent renewable sources.

CAISO officials told NGI that a proposed FERC technical conference can help clarify and resolve some of the issues raised since the FERC commissioners, on a 2-1 vote, rejected a proposed order to examine whether...