Nevada plant outage adds to blackouts in California

Tuesday, March 20, 2001 | 11:08 a.m.

SUN STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS

LOS ANGELES -- State power managers ordered rolling blackouts across California for a second straight day today as demand for electricity again exceeded supply.

The same factors that collided to strap California's power supply on Monday hit again, officials with the Independent System Operator said. Those include reduced electricity imports from the Pacific Northwest, numerous power plants offline for repairs and higher-than-expected demand because of warm temperatures.

Part of the problem was Monday's unplanned shutdown of both units of the Mohave Generating Station in Laughlin because of an equipment failure. The 1,500-megawatt plant is 56 percent owned by Southern California Edison while Nevada Power Co. in Las Vegas owns 14 percent.

A Nevada Power spokeswoman today said Las Vegas-area electricity delivery was unaffected by the problem, since at this time of year Nevada Power does not need the Mohave Power electricity. However, in the summer Nevada Power relies on the plant to meet peak demand caused by heavy use of air conditioners.

In addition, hydroelectric power imports from the Northwest were 800 megawatts lower than Monday, the ISO's Jim Detmers said. The ISO oversees most of the state's power grid.

The ISO asked PG&E, which serves much of central and northern California including San Francisco, to cut 196 megawatts, which translates to about 102,000 business and residential customers, utility spokesman Ron Low said.

Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric were also ordered to cut power. Utility representatives said they didn't have immediate information on how many customers would be affected.

The ISO hoped demand would start to subside and conservation would kick in, but that did not happen, officials said.

"We've been giving the conservation message since last May and I'm at a loss about why it's not working as well anymore," spokesman Patrick Dorinson said.

The blackouts on Monday struck without warning, coming in two waves that left more than 1.2 million customers without power from San Diego to Sacramento. It was a particular shock for Southern California, since the two previous blackouts, Jan. 17 and 18, affected only the northern and central parts of the state.