Official Declares Stage 2 Emergency
California’s power system manager declared a Stage 2 emergency Monday, the fourth time in eight days it has warned that the state’s power reserves have dipped below 5%.
A Stage 2 warning means the independent system operator may cut off electricity to users who have volunteered to go off line during power crunches.
Also Monday, the power manager issued its fifth Stage 1 emergency in eight days, urging households and businesses to conserve energy.
The recent shortages have yet to reach the Stage 3 level, in which electricity reserves fall below 1.5%. That could lead to ordered rolling blackouts across the state.
A cold spell combined with several maintenance-related power plant shutdowns are to blame for the emergencies.
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