The state of California experienced the most extreme temperatures for the longest period of time on record, according to a Washington Post report. Sacramento, Death Valley, Stockton, and Fresno all felt their warmest 7-day spans in September. The report also highlights that in just a few weeks, close to 1,000 heat records have been broken.
Heatwaves Trigger Historic Peak Demand
With these historic heat waves, grid authorities in California have begun to urge residents to conserve electricity as energy reserves approach warning levels. Residents in the state have also been warned to expect rotating blackouts as temperatures remain higher than usual.
According to The Guardian, officials warned that as residents across the state crank up their air conditioners in the sweltering heat, controlled power interruptions could help maintain consistency and prevent cascading blackouts.
State officials laid out plans in 2021 to build new power plants as well as temporary gas plants to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and focus on ensuring that the power supply is sufficient to avoid widespread power outages. This action was taken in response to power supply shortfall predictions for 2022, which are becoming increasingly apparent today.
California Power Supply Faces a Stress Test
Based on a Bloomberg report, California has been working to increase energy storage as a result of historic heat waves, drought, and wildfires straining the power grid. Indeed, the state planned to add two gigatonnes of batteries last year.
Furthermore, Elliot Mainzer, the top official of the California Independent System Operator (ISO), announced that the state has just entered the "most intense phase of the heat wave," and that forecasted electric demands have reached such alarming levels that the "potential for rotating outages has increased significantly."
Along with record-breaking heatwaves, California's power grid may face a historic supply demand, with the state's power supply falling more than 5,000 megawatts short of its most recent peak demand. According to reports, today's numbers are on their way to breaking the 2006 record of 50,270 megawatts.
As stated in a New York Times report, California's shift from fossil fuels has only complicated the state's power supply system. According to the article, solar and wind farms produce an increasing share of electricity, but only when the sun shines, or the wind blows, making the available supply more volatile over 24 hours.
On Sept. 12, President Joe Biden issued an executive order to hasten American leadership in the development, production, and use of clean energy while lowering consumer energy costs. The decree also calls for continuing to invest in national clean energy supply chains and generating well-paying union jobs, including in traditional energy communities, in order to revive American manufacturing.
As long as Washington's power supply action does not contribute to improving energy generation and transmission for California's grid managers, the state will continue to face intermittent power supply.
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