Gov. Gavin Newsom warned Monday that California might experience rolling power outages through Wednesday because of a shortage of energy from people looking to cool themselves during a record heat wave.
“We are likely to fall short and should face some episodic issues,” the Democrat said during a press conference. “These next few days, we are anticipating being challenged.”
California’s power grid operator has already resorted to deliberate power shut-offs in certain high-demand areas Friday and Saturday evening during times of peak energy use.
Newsom called the blackouts “unacceptable and unbefitting” of California and demanded an investigation into energy regulators’ failure to anticipate shortages during the heat wave. On Sunday, California’s Death Valley reached 130 degrees Fahrenheit, the highest temperature record in the United States since 1913, according to the National Weather Service. It might have been the highest temperature recorded in world history.
“We failed to predict and plan these shortages,” Newsom said. “That’s unacceptable. I have taken responsibility to address this issue.”
California is advising homes and businesses to conserve energy during the late afternoon and evening through Wednesday by adjusting their thermostats, refraining from using major appliances, and turning off unnecessary lights.
This is the first time California has resorted to rolling outages in two decades, according to the Wall Street Journal. The state is accustomed to heat waves, although this is the worst in 70 years, which Newsom attributed to climate change. But more people today are blasting air conditioners as they shelter at home to shield from the pandemic.
Rolling blackouts, in which utility companies intentionally shut down power gradually through specific areas, are different from the widespread, purposeful power shut-offs from last fall’s wildfire season. California utilities implemented shut-offs then to protect against the risk of power lines sparking wildfires, which left large populations without electricity for days.
The outages are happening as California has become more reliant on intermittent renewable power in recent years to meet aggressive carbon reduction targets set by state lawmakers. Wind energy and solar energy supply more than one-third of the state’s energy, which can challenge the grid operator during peak demand hours in the evening, when solar production declines. The state has committed to using 50% renewables for electricity by 2030 and having 100% zero-carbon power by 2045.
California usually imports “baseload” power, such as natural gas, at times like this, but neighboring states have been experiencing their own demand crunches because of the extreme heat.
Newsom said he remained “prideful” of California’s clean energy targets but acknowledged increasing use of renewables has left the state “vulnerable.” California has almost eliminated the use of coal and has also been shutting down natural gas and nuclear plants.
“We are committed to radically changing the way we produce and consume energy,” Newsom said. “We see it as economic imperative and a moral imperative. We are not backing off on that commitment, but in the process of the transition, we can’t sacrifice reliability.”
Newsom said California must become more “mindful” of providing backup power to renewables and that the state is working to activate “peaker” gas plants that can be turned on quickly during high demand, along with more hydropower.
He said that in the long term, energy storage technology, which can allow for the use of wind and solar when it’s not sunny or windy, must be “substantially improved.”
