Averts

What has been bizarre behavior for more than a month turned intooutright insanity Thursday as California’s electricity gridoperator declared a Stage Three power alert and narrowly avertedrolling blackouts for firm customers. State officials had expectedto have to curtail up to 2,000 MW between 5-8 p.m., centered mostlyin northern California. An unprecedented one-third (15,000 MW) ofthe capacity usually available was out of service.