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'Cautious optimism': SoCal power grid holding strong amid record heat

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, CA - AUGUST 30: The sun shines over towers carrying electical lines August 30, 2007 in South San Francisco, California. With temperatures over 100 degrees in many parts of the state, the California Independent System Operator, which manages most of the California electricity grid, is planning on declaring a minor power emergency later in the day, followed by a Stage 2 power alert during the late afternoon, indicating that power reserves have fallen below five percent.
SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, CA - AUGUST 30: The sun shines over towers carrying electical lines August 30, 2007 in South San Francisco, California. With temperatures over 100 degrees in many parts of the state, the California Independent System Operator, which manages most of the California electricity grid, is planning on declaring a minor power emergency later in the day, followed by a Stage 2 power alert during the late afternoon, indicating that power reserves have fallen below five percent.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

We've had some record-breaking heat in southern California this summer, but so far, there have been no dreaded Flex alerts.

KNX News' Karen Adams reports that the state has not needed to call upon its residents to conserve energy since September 2023, partially because California Independent System Operator (ISO), the company that manages the state's power grid, has stored up enough energy to avoid it.


Mark Rothleder is the Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Cal-ISO. He said, "In part, I don't want to get ahead of myself, but since 2022, the state has added a significant amount of new resources."

These energy-saving resources include solar energy and batteries.

Want to get caught up on what's happening in SoCal every weekday afternoon? Click to follow The L.A. Local wherever you get podcasts.

Rothleder is almost certain the grid will hold up during the hottest days of summer in August and September, saying, "Fingers crossed, but it's cautious optimism that we are in a much better state with the resources, our processes, coordination between the state infrastructure, and having additional tools. If and when we do get into emergency or pre-emergency conditions, we don't have to call a Flex alert."

He says one threat to keeping the lights on here in California is, of course, wildfires.

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