Calif ISO: Power Supply Could Get Tight Near End Of Oct

Updated: Tuesday, October 2, 2001 03:01 PM ET

NEW YORK (Dow Jones)--California likely will have enough power available through the month of October to meet expected demand as long as conservation continues, the California Independent System Operator said Tuesday.

But as much as 9,300 megawatts of generation - about one-fourth of the expected peak demand - could be off-line toward the end of October due to plant maintenance, emission reduction projects, unplanned outages, and lower than normal amounts of water in rivers and reservoirs to generate hydroelectricity, the ISO said.

"If the repair work were to coincide with a high-demand day, operating reserves could fall below optimal levels," the ISO warned.

The ISO forecasts that demand will peak in October at 37,530 megawatts, if reserve capacity is included. Generating capacity of power plants and imports is expected to be just 919 MW, or about 2.5%, above that demand.

The ISO urged Californians to continue using less power, and specifically to use less power during the peak hours between 2:00 and 7:00 p.m. These hours, especially on hot days, see the highest demand for electricity.

The California ISO is a not-for-profit public benefit corporation charged with managing the flow of electricity along the bulk of California's high-voltage transmission system.

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-- Martin Thompson (mthom1927@aol.com), October 02, 2001