California facing chance of blackouts amid brutal heat wave.
The scorching heat and low humidity were further drying out brush and adding to the challenges of battling wildfires, said Anale Burlew, a deputy chief with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
CAISO on Monday evening requested the activation of temporary emergency power generators deployed by the Department of Water Resources in Roseville and Yuba City. The four generators, which were activated for the first time since they were installed last year, can provide up to 120 megawatts of electricity, enough to power up to 120,000 homes.
During the day, California’s energy grid runs on a mix of mostly solar and natural gas, as well as some imports of power from other states. But solar power begins to fall off during the late afternoon and into the evening, which is the hottest time of day in some parts of the state. The state has additional energy capacity for protection at the moment “but blackouts, rolling, rotating outages are a possibility today,” Mainzer said, calling additional conservation “absolutely essential.”
Ironically, unsettled weather also brought the chance of thunderstorms over Southern California and into the Sierra Nevada, with a few isolated areas of rain but nothing widespread. The storms also could produce lightning, forecasters said, which can spark wildfires. Last week, seven firefighters were sent to the hospital for heat-related problems, but Burlew said the extreme weather wasn’t likely to disrupt current firefighting efforts.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Southern California hiring and pay raises outshine the stateSoCal weekly wages rose 4% to $1,397 a week. Pay dipped elsewhere in California by 0.6% to $1,834.
Read more »
Ohio State coach Ryan Day hopeful for Jaxon Smith-Njigba to return against Arkansas StateOhio State coach Ryan Day gave an update on star receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba before the Arkansas State game.
Read more »
This SF teen road trips across CA. But only uses public transit.Hayden Miller is an enterprising San Francisco teenager who plots unique trips for fun to destinations around the state. The twist? He only uses public transportation.
Read more »
Flex Alert hours extended, Cal ISO begs residents to conserve moreCal ISO said Sunday evening it needs California to save even more electricity than previously believed, as the worst of the current heat waves descends on the state Monday and Tuesday.
Read more »
Endorsement: Yes on Prop 1. Even in progressive California, abortion rights need constitutional protectionEven a state like California, with its progressive abortion laws, needs the right to abortion enshrined in its state constitution.
Read more »