On Tuesday, September 6, record-breaking temperatures in California drove record demand for electricity throughout the state, resulting in an Energy Emergency Alert (EEA) from California Independent System Operator (CAISO) and the possibility of blackouts. Peak demand hit an all-time high of over 52 gigawatts (GW).
PG&E, California’s largest power company, notified more than half a million homes and businesses that they could lose power for up to two hours as temperatures reached nearly 116 degrees. These emergencies have become more common in California as extreme weather has become more prevalent, exposing grid vulnerabilities as the state undergoes a transition to a cleaner generation mix. CAISO’s EEA3 alert– the highest level emergency alert – indicates that energy supply reserves cannot meet anticipated demand. During this alert, utilities can be instructed to initiate controlled rolling outages to limit energy demand and stabilize the grid before more widespread, severe blackouts occur.
The GridPoint team was monitoring the emergency and immediately called upon our network of grid-interactive buildings throughout the territory to reduce demand. Our network has been participating throughout the demand response season and is uniquely positioned to respond in these types of emergencies quickly and reliably. The California governor’s office issued historic proclamations, allowing for the use of back-up generators, both diesel and gas, to be utilized to prevent grid collapse. The Emergency Load Response Program (ELRP) was also dispatched, calling upon every grid-connected building, vehicle, and battery to do its part to keep the lights on.
Through these widespread demand response initiatives, energy consumers throughout California were able to reduce demand between 4-9 p.m. on September 6, to support the grid and avoid catastrophic blackouts. The level three emergency was reduced to level two later that evening and demand response continued to play an integral role in keeping the lights on throughout the remainder of the heatwave.
CAISO system demand on September 6, 2022
