Two years ago Pacific Gas & Electric established the first standalone power grid in California in Briceburg after a wildfire swept through the small community near Yosemite National Park.
The fire ruined the area’s single power line to the electrical grid. Instead of rebuilding poles on the increasingly dry hillsides, the self-reliant grid was born.
According to reporting by the Associated Press, the grid made of solar panels, batteries and a backup generator started operating this month. As the state deals with rising temperatures and drought, this new grid could be an essential lifeline to keep communities connected to power.
This isn’t the only strategy being tried. Other tactics include raising the cost of electricity during high-demand hours and offering cash and prizes to conserve energy when the grid is strained.
In Briceburg, PG&E determined the cost of installing and maintaining the remote grid outweighed the long-term expense and risk of replacing power lines, utility spokesman Paul Doherty said.
Meanwhile, the state's grid is facing the same challenge it faced last year. California routinely buys electricity from neighboring states when it is short on power, but imports are hard to come by when other states are hit by the same heat wave.
Anticipating more heatwaves, utilities across the U.S. West have been signing contracts for more emergency power supplies and are trying to make sure they aren’t relying on the same suppliers as everyone else.
But officials warned power shortages could still happen this summer.
