Posted on 08/09/2012 12:24:59 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - California's electricity grid operator issued a state-wide alert on Thursday warning users to try and curb power usage in coming days because a fast-approaching, major heat wave may place undue strain on an already taxed network this week.
The exceptionally rare power warning -- its first in years -- from the most populous state in the country comes as California struggles to meet surging electricity demand.
The California Independent System Operation, or CAISO, a not-for-profit corporation charged with operating the majority of the state's high-voltage grid, issued a "flex" alert urging consumers to reduce power usage especially in the afternoons, when air-conditioning dramatically ramps up demand.
CAISO is bracing for the heat wave and struggling to compensate for the loss of the 2,150 Megawatt (MW) San Onofre nuclear power plant.
...
Peak electricity demand for Thursday through Sunday ranges from 43,000 MW to 47,125 MW, CAISO said. The state is capable of producing up to 58,600 MW, according to CAISO.
The all-time peak demand was 50,270 MW, which occurred on July 24, 2006.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
From the DailyBreeze
Residents, power company officials discuss future of Redondo Beach AES plant
By Annie Lubinsky and Douglas Morino Staff Writers
04/11/2012
Retiring Redondo Beach's AES power plant could lead to higher costs for residents and negatively impact energy distribution in the Los Angeles basin, according to Southern California Edison and a nonprofit corporation that manages the state's flow of electricity.
But some residents who spoke at a Tuesday meeting at Redondo Beach City Hall said the plant isn't needed, and expressed concerns about pollution and visual blight.
The power plant's future at the waterfront has long been an issue dividing the community. And as AES officials prepare to apply for a license to rebuild the facility, a growing group of residents is advocating for its permanent removal.
The informational meeting brought out officials from The Redondo Beach City Council held a workshop on the AES power plant. Lots of residents were present with an overflow crowd watching on monitors. (Robert Casillas / Staff Photographer) the California Independent System Operator (Cal-ISO), the California Energy Commission, the South Coast Air Quality Management District, Southern California Edison and more.
"We believe the use of existing power plants would be more cost-effective than creating new plants at new sites," said Patricia Arons, Edison's manager of transmission strategy and special assessments. "California's requirement of using 33 percent renewable energy by 2020 will transform the reliability of our system. It will result in a cleaner, smarter and more secure energy transmission system that will be reflected in the rates customers pay."
Dennis Peters, an external affairs manager for Cal-ISO, said the agency is trying to maintain reliability as new regulations for coastal power plants phase out once-through cooling processes using ocean water. They apply to the Redondo Beach plant.
Peters said local energy generation is needed.
"All these areas will encounter challenges if (once-through cooling) plants are closed down without replacement," Peters said. "If the four OTC plants - El Segundo, Redondo Beach, Los Alamitos and Huntington Beach - were to retire, the Los Angeles basin would be short 3,207 megawatts." Redondo Beach resident Rich Banz and his daughter Sedona hold a mini-protest in lobby of council chambers. (Robert Casillas / Staff Photographer)
AES released a preliminary plan in November to rebuild the power plant on North Harbor Drive. Company officials did not say on Tuesday when they would file a repowering application with the state Energy Commission, although in the past they indicated that an application would be filed by June.
The prospect of a newly built power plant has stirred controversy, with a growing group of residents fighting for the plant's removal. The group is backed by the non-profit group Building a Better Redondo and Councilman Bill Brand. Together, they hope to turn the 52-acre parcel into a mix of commercial space and parkland through voter-approved rezoning initiatives.
The ongoing power plant controversy prompted the council to schedule Tuesday's workshop, which included presentations from the regulatory agencies.
"This is a meeting we've been looking forward to for quite some time," Mayor Mike Gin said. "The council decided months ago to do this to become educated on the permitting process, because the process for renewal is a byzantine one."
At least 100 residents attended the meeting, many carrying anti-power plant signs.
"We've had a power plant blighting and polluting our city for years," said Jim Light, president of Building a Better Redondo. "It is very clear there is excess power capacity today, and new power coming online by 2016. You do not need this plant for grid reliability."
Many residents pressed the council to take a public stance on the power plant issue.
"This community is strongly against this," one resident said. "It is incumbent on you to represent us and act on our behalf."
http://www.dailybreeze.com/ci_20375352/residents-power-company-officials-discuss-future-redondo-beach
Now a news item. Blackouts happening now. Dang it is hot.
The best way to solve the electric supply problem would be to allow home owners to sell power to the grid from their roof top solar system. Put a free market profit motive in place and the power supply issue will vanish.
what a crock of crap article been over 100 here in Socal for most of the week, had my AC on all week too.
No, I do not want electricity from San Onofre NGS. That thing needs to stay shut down. It is well past its planned life expectancy and we are dang lucky the problems with the cooling tubes were caught.
If you heard the lame way they have proposed to deal wuth those tubes you would be shocked. Band aid for a high tech and highly dangerous system for which there are alternatives. Those alternatives do not put money in politicians pockets though. Those same politicians then dupe people into thinking San Onofre NGS is needed.
Using solar to power a/c just isn’t feasible. Solar is best used for either passive or marginal purposes, for which it can be great. But it is just not up to providing the amount of energy needed without 2 or 3 times the area of the roof of a typical home.
California clearly needs a sunlight recycling program.
Shove a windmill tower up the hind end of every politician who interfered with electric production and have them assume the position of a mudslime praying to their false god.
If the people of CA have not purchased some back up generating equipment then they just need to look in the mirror for the problem.
so how you going to run your computer if you dont have SONGS for the power???? run it off solar???
Should I send Jim Rob a pack of AA batteries for backup this weekend?
Cal ISO has mitigated the effects of the shut down of San Onofre NGS. While it says the margins of suplus power in their modeling are narrow and Cal ISO by no means says California is out of the woods in meeting peak demand, it did make significant progress in the critical first year since San Onofre NGS has been shut down.
In other words, it has made up the difference. It made up that difference significant part by starting up an power plant in Huntington Beach that was idle. Granted that plant can't continue to operatate indefinately under present law -its air quality credits were sold to another concern.
I have been running my computer, although I will admit today with the very intense heat in SoCal today we lost power.
More to your question, though, I believe America can solve what it sets its mind to solve. If we have the will, we can do great things. With Cal ISO having done a remarkable job i the first year under very difficult conditions, we can find a solution and keep San Onofre NGS shut down permanantly. We done it for one year and are heading into the next with out that nuclear power plant. We can do it.
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