Calif. calls power alert after generation loss

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Monday December 4, 8:41 pm Eastern Time Calif. calls power alert after generation loss (UPDATE: Adds stage 2 alert, para 5)

SAN FRANCISCO, Dec 4 (Reuters) - The California Independent System Operator (ISO) declared a power emergency Monday after 400 megawatts (MW) of generating capacity went out of service following the loss of two high-voltage power lines near Bakersfield, Calif.

The ISO, which manages most of the state's power grid, said in a statement that crews from Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (PG&E) were investigating whether the transmission outage was weather-related.

A spokesman for PG&E, a unit of PG&E Corp. (NYSE:PCG - news), said the crews were working to put the two transmission lines back in service, but the utility did not yet know what caused the outage.

It wasn't known which power plant was affected by the transmission line problem.

The ISO ordered a ``stage one'' emergency at mid-morning Monday and updated it to a ``stage two'' alert late in the day. It appealed to the public to conserve the use of electricity. A stage two alert is triggered when reserves dip below five percent of available supply.

The agency forecast a peak demand for power Monday of 34,267 MW, near the ISO's record winter peak of 34,432 MW set Dec. 13, 1999.

http://biz.yahoo.com/rf/001204/n04416099.html

-- Martin Thompson (mthom1927@aol.com), December 05, 2000

Answers

State enters another power crisis Staff and wire reports The Desert Sun December 5th, 2000

---------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------- California’s electricity supply continues to be critically short, as commercial users in the Coachella Valley and around the state were asked to cut back power use Monday.

The California Independent System Operator declared a Stage 2 emergency Monday, calling upon Southern California Edison and other investor-owned utilities to activate their voluntary power curtailment programs.

This is the fourth Stage 2 alert in the last three weeks. A Stage 2 emergency is declared whenever state power reserves drop below 5 percent.

In addition to the corporate power reduction program, the ISO and Edison also made “urgent appeals” for all customers to reduce their electricity consumption Monday.

“If power does not decrease soon, it will be necessary to begin shutting off power for blocks of customers,” said Pam Bass, Edison’s senior vice president for customer service. “Everyone needs to cut their use of power now to avoid forced outages.”

Edison customers were asked to reduce lighting and avoid use of equipment and appliances. Officials also asked customers to delay turning on their holiday lights until after 8 p.m.

The ISO attributed the energy shortfall to a lack of power generation availability in California, which was blamed also for three straight days of Stage 2 alerts Nov. 13-15.

The ISO is anticipating even higher peak demand for power today.

http://www.thedesertsun.com/news/stories/local/975996517.shtml

-- Martin Thompson (mthom1927@aol.com), December 05, 2000.


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