Community Corner
SDG&E Has Enough Power Supply for Summer
While SDG&E estimates it has an adequate supply, it urges residents and businesses to conserve during heat waves and unplanned power outages.
Electrical supplies will be adequate in San Diego and southern Orange counties this summer, but conservation will be needed during heat waves or unplanned power plant outages, San Diego Gas & Electric announced today.
"SDGE is prepared to meet this summer's energy demand but we expect that there will be days when we will need help from customers through conservation and demand response and we appreciate all efforts by our customers so far this year to help keep the electric system running smoothly during the recent wildfires," SDG&E President and Chief Operating Officer Steven Davis said.
Utility officials said San Diegans responded well during May's heat wave to calls to reduce power use.
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The Sunrise Powerlink transmission line that carries energy from Imperial County continues to increase reliability and improve Southern California's ability to import power, particularly from new renewable projects, according to SDG&E.
The utility has worked to increase the reliability of the local grid over the past year with enhancements to major transmission systems. Coordination continues with the California Independent System Operator Corporation and Southern California Edison on contingency plans for adequate electricity resources for customers throughout Southern California without the San Onofre nuclear plan in operation.
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"While we have enough supply to get us through the most extreme weather conditions, things we can't predict, such as wildfires impacting transmission lines, can still create reliability challenges in Southern California -- especially as we are still reinforcing the San Diego and Orange County grids after the early retirement of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station," said Steve Berberich, president and CEO of the California Independent System Operator, which coordinates power flow throughout the state.
He asked for customers to reduce power use when needed so no one loses electrical service.
Statewide, Cal-ISO expects adequate supplies even though the drought has cut into the production of hydroelectric energy.
—City News Service
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