(The last paragraph will add the effect of possible PG and E outages)
September ((Reuters) – The California Independent System ISO operator (ISO) declared a “Stage 2” power crisis late Saturday night, warning of a possible lack of rotating electricity amid record temperature surges.
Stage 2 Power Emergency means that ISO has taken all the reduction actions but it will no longer be able to provide its expected energy release requirements.
The temperature was set at 125 degrees Fahrenheit (49 Celsius) to punish California on Labor Day weekend, increasing the risk of wildfires and roll blackouts.
California Governor Gavin News announced a state of emergency on Friday, an announcement that would allow power plants to operate beyond normal limits at the end of a three-day holiday.
The National Weather Service (NWS) has forecast that the heat wave in Southern California during the holiday weekend will have “rare, dangerous and very deadly” temperatures.
State officials urged the people of California to turn off unnecessary appliances and lights to avoid blackouts from the Halaka power grid.
Authorities told power generators to delay any maintenance by the end of the week to prevent a two-night blackout such as mid-August gust as residents created air conditioning.
This weekend was expected to be warmer in mid-August which sparked the second and third largest forest fires in California history. That fire is still burning.
Death Valley in the Mojave Desert of California recorded the hottest air temperature recorded on Aug. 1 at 1,130 F (C 54C) and is expected to reach a high of about 124 on Sunday, the NWSA said.
San Francisco-based power provider PG&E Corp. said Saturday it may have been asked by a grid operator to shut down power due to “extreme heat.” He urged consumers for power conservation.
The company said parts of Northern California could be cut off early Monday and Tuesday as hot, dry winds are likely to threaten the region.
PG & EA said its potential power shut-off could affect parts of 17 counties, including about 103,000 customers.
(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by William Mallard)
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