What to Know
- A statewide Flex Alert is one of the steps the operator of the state’s power grid can take to avoid unplanned power outages in extreme heat.
- The call to voluntarily conserve power is typically issued during days of extreme heat int he summer.
- From there, the state’s power grid operator may issue alerts in stages before calling for rotating power outages.
California’s power grid operator issued an energy emergency alert Monday in an effort to prevent power outages as a statewide late-summer heat wave intensifies.
A Stage 1 Emergency Energy Alert — there are three stages of urgency– is a step beyond one of the more common power outage prevention steps, a voluntary statewide Flex Alert. A Flex Alert also is in effect Monday afternoon for the sixth straight day.
“ISO has issued an Energy Emergency Alert (EEA) 1 effective today, from 5 p.m. – 9 p.m.,” Cal ISO said in a tweet. “Consumers are strongly urged to use less energy to avoid rotating power outages.”
The Stage 1 alert is one of several alerts and measures that Cal ISO, the agency in charge of managing and maintaining reliability on the electric grid, can use to avoid power interruptions in the nation’s most populous state. After Flex Alerts, grid managers have several options before rotating power outages, such as tapping backup generators, buying more power from other states and using so-called demand response programs, where people are paid to use less energy.
Here’s what to know about Flex Alerts and the steps leading to rotating power outages.
What can I do to help prevent rotating power outages?
CalISO offers the following power conservation tips when a Flex Alert is issued.
- Turning off unnecessary lights.
- Using major appliances before 3 p.m. and after 10 p.m.
- Setting air conditioner thermostats to 78 degrees or higher.
- Use fans and keep drapes drawn.
How will I know when there’s an urgent need to conserve power?
Cal ISO has a notifications page where you can sign up to receive updates. Check you local utility’s page for other alerts. You also can check California’s power forecast here.
What happens if Flex Alerts aren’t enough?
Californians are familiar with Flex Alerts — a call for power conservation issued by Cal ISO in anticipation of high power demand. They usually happen during widespread extreme heat. The system operator also may issue the following alerts if the voluntary calls to conserve do not appear to be working.
- Energy Emergency Alert 1: Real-time analysis shows all resources are in use or committed for use, and energy deficiencies are expected. Market participants are encouraged to offer supplemental energy and ancillary service bids. Consumers are encouraged to conserve energy.
- Energy Emergency Alert 2: Cal ISO requests emergency energy from all resources and has activated its emergency demand response program. Consumers are urged to conserve energy to help preserve grid reliability.
- Energy Emergency Alert 3: ISO is unable to meet minimum Contingency Reserve requirements and controlled power curtailments are imminent or in progress according to each utility’s emergency plan. Maximum conservation by consumers requested.
How likely are rolling power outages in California?
On Saturday night, the state used about 44,000 megawatts of electricity, according to Cal ISO. By Tuesday, that’s supposed to ramp up to more than 50,000 megawatts, nearing record levels of energy use set in 2006. But the state would rather curb demand to avoid that number than test the power grid’s capability to respond.
“Our goal is to make sure that we do not reach that number,” said Elliot Mainzer, president and chief executive officer of the California Independent System Operator.
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Read More: What to Know About Rotating Power Outages in California – NBC Los Angeles