Conservation and Storage: Batteries, the Future of California Power
The hottest days this summer pushed California’s power grid to its limit. People were asked multiple days to conserve energy to avoid rolling blackouts.
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What the Western Drought Reveals About Hydropower
/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Gayle Falkenthal /EnergyWireby Jason PlautzThe relentless Western drought that is threatening water supplies in the country’s largest reservoirs is exposing a reality that could portend a significant shift in electricity: Hydropower is not the reliable backbone it once was.
Utilities and states are preparing for a world with less available water and turning more to wind and solar, demand response, energy storage and improved grid connections. That planning has helped Western states keep the lights on this summer even in severe drought conditions.
Sweating Through the Heat Wave in California’s Hottest County
/in Home Headline, Media Coverage, San Diego County /by Chelsea Campos /Los Angeles Timesby Sammy RothIt was just before 9 a.m. and already nearing 100 degrees as I stared out at the menacing steel pillars of the U.S.-Mexico border wall, in California’s far southeastern corner. My long-sleeve shirt stuck to my skin. Sweat dripped down my back.
State Warns of Possible Rolling Blackouts Amid Scorching Heat Wave
/in Home Headline, Media Coverage, San Diego County /by Mike Lee /KPBS-FM/TVby City News Service and Alexander Nguyen Quoted: San Diego County Water AuthorityThe operator of the state’s power grid warned residents Tuesday to prepare for possible rolling blackouts, as a drawn-out heat wave reaches its peak and drives electricity demand to an anticipated record level.
VIDEO: The heat wave is stretching into the seventh day and relief is not expected anytime soon which means the demand for energy is straining the grid. The California Independent System Operator has issued a Flex Alert asking residents to conserve energy during peak use but as KPBS reporter Alexander Nguyen shows us it is also tapping other sources for energy.
August is Coming. Prepare for Climate Calamity
/in Home Headline, Media Coverage, San Diego County /by Mike Lee /Los Angeles Timesby Sammy RothLake Siskiyou is beautiful this time of year.
About 200 miles north of Sacramento, the artificial reservoir — formed by a dam on the Sacramento River — is ringed by quiet beaches that offer a cool respite from triple-digit heat. The views of Mt. Shasta are spectacular. When I visited last week, I saw double-crested cormorants, ospreys and great blue herons soaring over the water and ducklings swimming with their mother.
Megadrought Threatens California Power Blackouts This Summer
/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /Bloombergby David R Baker, Mark Chediak, and Naureen S MalikThe historic drought that’s choked off rivers and reservoirs from the Rocky Mountains to the California coast is threatening to strain power grids this summer, raising the specter of blackouts and forcing the region to rely on more fossil fuels.
Many reservoirs that should be brimming with spring snowmelt show bathtub rings of dry dirt instead, including the largest one in the U.S., Lake Mead, which fell this week to a record low. Hydropower dams feeding off those reservoirs won’t be able to pump out as much electricity as they should, if they keep operating at all.
California is Scrambling to Avoid Blackouts. Your Refrigerator Could Help
/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Kimberlyn Velasquez /Los Angeles Timesby Sammy RothSometime next summer, there’s a decent chance a heat wave will bake the American West, and California’s power grid will again be stretched to its limits. As the sun sets, solar panels will start generating less electricity even as temperatures remain high. Power plants that burn natural gas will fire up as quickly as possible, in a race to keep air conditioners blowing and avert the need for rolling blackouts.
Southern California Water District Plans Four Microgrids at Key Facilities
/in Home Headline, Media Coverage, San Diego County /by Chelsea Campos /Microgrid Knowledgeby Ethan HowlandThe Metropolitan Water District of Southern California is moving ahead with plans to build microgrids at three water treatment plants and a pumping station. The water district’s board on October 13 approved the projects, a move needed to nail down $10.3 million in incentives from the California Public Utilities Commission’s (PUC) Self-Generation Incentive Program
Boiling Point: Climate Change is Wreaking Havoc On the Power Grid In Ways You Never Knew
/in California and the U.S., Media Coverage /by Kimberlyn Velasquez /Los Angeles Timesby Sammy RothIf you’re in the habit of reading the president’s tweets, you may have noticed a theme the last few weeks: California is a fiery wasteland. He said as much Tuesday, writing that the Golden State is “going to hell.” Trump made the same points in another tweet last week, promising “no more blackouts” or “ridiculous forrest fires” (his typo, not mine) if he’s reelected and clarifying that water rationing is “coming soon.”
Navy Helped San Diego Avoid Power Outages During Heat Wave
/in Home Headline, Media Coverage, San Diego County /by Kimberlyn Velasquez /Times of San Diegoby Elizabeth IrelandThe U.S. Navy announced Wednesday it was again instrumental in helping California avoid power outages during Labor Day weekend’s statewide extreme heat event. The Navy’s efforts contributed a potential savings of approximately 16 megawatts (MW), keeping the peak load on Sunday under 47,000 MW, and saving enough energy to help prevent rolling blackouts through local neighborhoods and California.
The Water News Network is San Diego County’s source for water news and information.
