Earth to stupid reporters, it was a Stage 1 Energy EMERGENCY, not a Stage 1 Energy ALERT!
As a result, the severe hot weather throughout California and Nevada and a few unexpected power plant breakdowns forced state grid operators to call a Stage 1 alert(sic).
"People still need to understand that this is still a market that is vulnerable," said Richard Katz, a top energy adviser to Gov. Gray Davis. "If anything comes out of today, it's just a reminder that the conservation piece of this is critical to us in California."
So, over 2,000 MW of unplanned outages is a "few unexpected power plant breakdowns." Gosh, I would hate to be around when anything out of the ordinary happened!
Yep, we go to remember that the environmental voting block is important so we have to push conservation even though a real translation of what happened would something as follows.
The lower power consumption earlier this year, due to poor economic health of business, but labled as conservation, has not remained at below normal levels as the economy has improved and business has increased employment and production. What Davis would like to urge is more power conservation unless it involves the loss of jobs among his support groups.
See my comments on the Huntington Beach power plant!