Publication Date July 27, 2016 | Reuters

California power operator urges conservation during heat wave

United States
Photo: Reuters
Photo: Reuters

Electricity supplies statewide are expected to be tight because of high summer temperatures driving up demand, power plant outages, and reductions in the capacity of transmission lines, the California Independent System Operator (ISO) said in a statement.

Power imports may also be limited Wednesday because of high temperatures in neighboring states, the ISO said.

Earlier Wednesday, the ISO told electric companies to restrict maintenance work on their generating facilities and transmission lines to help maintain reliability.

The ISO forecast that peak demand would reach 45,876 megawatts on Wednesday and 46,866 MW on Thursday. Though high, the levels would fall short of the 2015 peak of 47,358 MW in September and the grid's all-time record of 50,270 MW set in July 2006