Just weeks after a power shortage in California triggered the first rolling blackouts in 20 years, the state’s grid is poised for yet another test of its reliability. Excessive heat is forecast to blanket the state through the weekend, with temperatures seen reaching 107 degrees Fahrenheit (42 Celsius) in Los Angeles Saturday, according to the National Weather Service. Sacramento is expected to reach 106 degrees on Sunday.
In response, California’s grid operator ordered transmission line operators and power plants to postpone any work that would take their assets offline on Saturday and Sunday, to ensure adequate power supplies during the weekend. The California Independent System Operator didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
During the mid-August heat wave that saw temperatures reach as high as 110 degrees in parts of the state, the grid buckled under the strain of high demand and limited supply — forcing grid operators to initiate rolling blackouts that affected millions. In that case, natural gas and wind resources unexpectedly tripped offline, and electricity imports dried up, leaving operators with few options but to order cuts.