California ISO details rolling blackout prevention measures for this summer
CALIFORNIA, USA — The state’s power grid operators, California Independent System Operator (ISO) said it cannot guarantee the state will avoid rolling blackouts this summer, but they are doing several things to try to prepare.
California ISO officials met at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, May 26 for a 2021 Summer Readiness Update to detail some strategies for avoiding power outages when the heat kicks up.
Officials talked about a major new push on communication and demand response. This includes regular updates on grid conditions and Heat Wave Bulletin, which will provide a 3-7 day window for forecasting extreme heat events.
Flex Alert conservation times will also more generally fall in the time frame of 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. In 2020, that timeframe has been as long as 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. California ISO also announced that Flex Alert users will be able to see how people in their area are conserving energy.
California’s top energy regulators have said the state is better prepared to avoid last summer’s rotating blackouts. However, they cautioned the power grid of the nation’s most populous state is still vulnerable to extreme heat waves that could force more outages later this year.
There are two other key proposals that California ISO is putting into place to prevent rolling blackouts.
