California regulators say the state is unlikely to run out of power this summer due to a surge in energy storage and a wet winter that has filled the state’s reservoirs enough to restart. hydroelectric plants that were inactive during the drought. The country’s most populous state normally has more than enough electricity to power the homes and businesses of more than 39 million people. But the power grid has problems when it’s very hot and everyone turns on their air conditioners at the same time. It got so hot in August 2020 that California’s power grid was overwhelmed, prompting the state’s three largest utility companies to shut off power to hundreds of thousands of homes for a few hours. on two consecutive days. Similar heat waves in 2021 and 2022 again pushed the state to the brink. State officials avoided blackouts by encouraging people to conserve energy and operating some gasoline-powered emergency generators. The state’s power grid has been strained in part due to a severe drought that has left reservoirs at dangerously low levels, leaving little water available to flow through hydroelectric plants. . Lake Oroville’s water level got so low in 2021 that state officials had to shut down a hydroelectric plant capable of powering 80,000 homes. That won’t be a problem this year after winter storms dumped huge amounts of rain and snow on the state. Additionally, an additional 8,594 megawatts of wind, solar and battery storage will come online by September 1, according to Neil Millar, vice president of transmission planning and infrastructure development for the California independent system operator. One megawatt of electricity is enough to power about 750 homes. “I’m relieved to say that we’re in a much better position than we were going into 2022,” said Siva Gunda, vice chairman of the California Energy Commission. The struggle to power the state during severe heat waves has been a problem for Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, who has aggressively moved the state away from fossil fuels. California now gets much of its electricity from sources like wind and solar. But these energy sources are not always available. had to retire and buy large diesel generators. Last September, when a severe heat wave pushed demand for electricity across the state to an all-time high, this reserve generated as much as 1,416 megawatts of ‘energy. But it also goes against the state’s goal of having 100% clean energy by 2045. The state got 59% of its energy from non-fossil fuel sources in 2021. , from a high of 64% in 2019. The decline is mainly due to the fact that the drought reduced the amount of hydroelectric power available. One way to use solar energy is to store it during the day and use it at night. 1, an increase from just 250 megawatts in 2019. On Thursday, Newsom visited a battery manufacturing plant and touted his updated plan to ease the permitting process for new clean energy projects. t do it unless we are big and bold. and we have to overcome the obstacles in our path,” Newsom said. While officials say the state should avoid critical power shortages, they warn that the weather could change things. Wildfires also threaten to destroy major power lines. These things could still trigger a “flexible alert” warning people to save energy. “I would say those people shouldn’t be surprised to see a flexible alert,” said Alice Reynolds, chairwoman of the California Public Utilities Commission. “I mean, we’re talking about oppressive heat, unusual events that are difficult to manage.
California regulators say the state is unlikely to run out of power this summer due to a surge in energy storage and a wet winter that has filled the state’s reservoirs enough to restart. hydroelectric plants that were inactive during the drought.
The country’s most populous state normally has more than enough electricity to power the homes and businesses of more than 39 million people. But the power grid struggles when it’s really hot and everyone turns on their air conditioners at the same time.
It got so hot in August 2020 that California’s power grid was overwhelmed, prompting the state’s three largest utility companies to shut off power to hundreds of thousands of homes for a few hours for two consecutive days. Similar heat waves in 2021 and 2022 again pushed the state to the brink. State officials avoided blackouts by encouraging people to save energy and operating some gasoline-powered emergency generators.
The state’s power grid has been strained in part due to a severe drought that has left reservoirs at dangerously low levels, leaving little water available to flow through hydroelectric plants. Lake Oroville’s water level got so low in 2021 that state officials had to shut down a hydroelectric plant capable of powering 80,000 homes.
That won’t be a problem this year after winter storms dumped massive amounts of rain and snow on the state. Additionally, an additional 8,594 megawatts of energy from wind, solar and battery storage will come online by September 1, according to Neil Millar, vice president of transmission planning and infrastructure development for the California Independent System Operator.
One megawatt of electricity is enough to power about 750 homes.
“I’m relieved to say that we’re in a much better position than we were going into 2022,” said Siva Gunda, vice chairman of the California Energy Commission.
The struggle to power the state during severe heat waves has been a problem for Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, who has aggressively moved the state away from fossil fuels. California now gets much of its electricity from sources like wind and solar. But these energy sources are not always available.
To prevent power outages during heat waves, Newsom and the state legislature spent $3.3 billion to create a “strategic reliability reserve.” Last September, when a severe heat wave pushed demand for electricity across the state to an all-time high, that reserve generated as much as 1,416 megawatts of power.
The reserve helps keep the lights on. But it also goes against the state’s goal of having 100% clean energy by 2045. The state got 59% of its energy from non-fossil fuel sources in 2021. , from a high of 64% in 2019. State officials say the decrease is primarily because the drought reduced the amount of hydroelectric power available.
One way to use solar energy is to store it during the day and use it at night. Gunda said California is on track to have about 5,000 megawatts of battery storage by June 1, an increase from just 250 megawatts in 2019.
On Thursday, Newsom visited a battery manufacturing plant and touted his updated plan to ease the permitting process for new clean energy projects.
“I think the most important thing about strengthening is that we can’t get there unless we’re big and bold and we have to overcome the obstacles in our path,” Newsom said.
While officials say the state should avoid critical power shortages, they warn that the weather could change that. Wildfires also threaten to destroy major power lines. These things could still trigger a “flexible alert” warning people to conserve energy.
“I would say those people shouldn’t be surprised to see a flexible alert,” said Alice Reynolds, chairwoman of the California Public Utilities Commission. “I mean, we’re talking about extreme heat, unusual events that are difficult to handle.”