LATimes Monday, April 2, 2001

Power Alert Declared in California

SACRAMENTO, Calif.--State power grid officials issued a Stage 2 alert Monday after transmission lines near Los Angeles were downed by high winds, interfering with electricity imported from the Northwest.

The overnight wind damaged seven transmission towers east of Los Angeles, said Stephanie McCorkle, spokeswoman for the Independent System Operator. The lines would have imported 3,000 megawatts of electricity from the Northwest; one megawatt is enough to power about 750 homes.

Also, power plants that would have produced 12,900 megawatts were down for repairs, McCorkle said. Another 3,000 megawatts from alternative energy providers who are owed more than $1 billion by two cash-strapped utilities were also unavailable.

A Stage 2 alert is called when electricity reserves drop or are expected to drop below 5 percent. A Stage 3 alert -called when reserves near 1.5 percent -can lead to rolling blackouts.

-- Anonymous, April 02, 2001