[Updated at 4:55 p.m.] Unusually hot weather in Southern California led the California Independent System Operator on Monday afternoon to issue a Stage 1 Electrical Emergency for the state.
Power plant operators were being asked to restrict maintenance and keep as many facilities available to meet needs, said Gregg Fishman, a spokesman for California ISO.
"This is specifically related to Southern California's weather," Fishman said. "Our load is as much as 1,100 megawatts over forecast."
Temperatures were soaring Sunday and Monday around San Diego. Record highs in the 90s were set in Riverside, Yorba Linda, Santa Ana and El Cajon on Sunday and remained high Monday.
At the same time, several plants in Southern California were off for maintenance work Monday. Fishman said the upkeep is usually done at this time of year, but the unseasonably warm temperatures have created a strain on the power grid. Restricting maintenance is one of the first steps when power supplies are tight, he added.
Stage 1 is a low-priority emergency. The ISO declares Stage 1 emergencies when reserves fall to between 6 and 7 percent. A Stage 2 emergency is issued when the reserves are at about 5 percent. Stage 3 emergencies -- the most urgent -- occur when reserves fall below 1.5 percent.
Fishman said the weather will determine if more Stage 1 emergencies will be issued this week.
A reserve problem is potentially serious and has implications for this summer.
Based on what todays WECC Daily Report said:
Yesterday/Weekend/Holiday Notable Events:
At 1124 PST on Monday March 29, 2004 the CAISO declared a Restricted Maintenance Operation due to higher than anticipated temperatures and load.
At 1224 the CAISO issued a System Warning due to the high temperatures and load and a loss of resources south of Path 15.
At 1350 the CAISO declared a Stage 1 emergency due to an imminent deficiency in Operating Reserves.
At 2000 the CAISO terminated the Stage 1 emergency, System Warning and Restricted Maintenance Operation.
Stage 2 emergency was not reached and no load was interrupted.
Now what happened according to T&D Magazine:
http://tdworld.com/news/California-power-emergency/
Cal-ISO Declares Stage 1 Emergency; SCE Joins Appeal for Conservation as State Power Reserves Fall Below 7%
Mar 30, 2004 3:17 PM
Southern California Edison
With state power reserves falling below 7% and the region coping with unusually high temperatures for early spring, the California Independent System Operator (Cal-ISO) and Southern California Edison yesterday urged customers to reduce electricity use to reduce their consumption of electricity.
This urgent conservation appeal followed a Stage 1 Emergency declaration by Cal-ISO, the nonprofit agency that manages most of California's transmission power grid and secures power supplies for most of the state's consumers.
A Stage 1 Emergency is declared whenever the state's power reserves fall below 7%. Yesterday's declaration, in effect from 1:50 p.m. to 8 p.m., was made because of soaring demand for electricity during a sweltering heat wave and the loss of some power plant generation in California.
SCE encouraged all consumers and businesses to reduce their power use at this time by keeping their air conditioning thermostats set no lower than 78 degrees, reducing office lighting, and using nonessential business equipment and home appliances (e.g., clothes washers/dryers, and dishwashers) in the morning or evening when demand for power is lower.