SMUD avoids rolling power outages, tells customers to keep focusing on energy conservation

Jessica Mensch reports

DOING SO IF THE COMMUNITY DOESITS PART.

FOX FORTY'S JESSICAMENSCH EXPLAINS WHY.WITH HOMES AROUNDCALIFORNIA FORCED INTODARKNESS DURING THIS HEAT WAVETHE SACRAMENTO, MUNICIPALUTILITY DISTRICT IS WORKING TOKEEP ON THE LIGHTS HE STRESSESPOWER SAYS STRESS ISEVERYTHING.WE HAVE ALL HANDS ON DECK.A CIVIC GAS AND ELECTRICAND OTHER LARGE UTILITYCOMPANIES HAVE TURNED TOROLLING BLACKOUTS DURING THEHEAT WAVE HAS ELECTRICITYDEMAND OUTPACES SUPPLY IN SOMEAREAS THAT'S NOT HAS NOT HADTO INTENTIONALLY SHUT OFFPOWER.

THAT'S BECAUSE IT'S NOTGOVERNED BY THE CALIFORNIAINDEPENDENT SYSTEM OPERATORWHICH ORDERED THESE OUTAGES WEBELONG TO DIFFERENT BALANCINGAUTHORITY BALANCING AUTHORITYOF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA.BACK IN 2002.

WE WANT TOCONTROL OUR OWN DESTINY ENERGYWHY SO WE FORMED A WE CALL HEROWN CONTROL AREA THAT WE HAVEOUR OWN CONTRACTS AROUNDGENERATION AROUND TRANSMISSIONAND SMUG SPOKESPERSON CHRISCAPRA SAYS THE HEAT WAVE ISSPIKING DEMAND BUT SO FARTHEY'VE NOT BELIEVE ROLLINGOUTAGES WILL BE NECESSARY INSACRAMENTO.

WE EXPECT OUR PEAKTO BE AROUND 3,000 MEGAWATTSTODAY.

AND WE HAVE MORE SUPPLYTHAN THAT AVAILABLE.

THE ONLYCOUNTY DOT IS IF THERE'S ATRANSMISSION LINE OR AGENERATOR.

IT GOES DOWNTHEY'RE ASKING CUSTOMERS TOTURN UP THE THERMOSTAT AND TRYTO REDUCE ENERGY USE DAILYBETWEEN ONE 09:00PM DURING THEHEAT WAVE.IN DOING SO WE HOPE TOREDUCE OUR PEAK AT AROUND 5O'CLOCK WHEN AND HE USES ATITS HIGHEST HE RECOMMENDS PRECOOLING YOUR HOUSE SINCE THECOMPANY HAS MORE POWERAVAILABLE IN THE MORNING.THEY'RE ALSO TELLING LARGECOMMERCIAL CUSTOMERS TO CLOSEDOWN EARLY AND IF THEY RUN OUTOF OPTIONS, WE HAVE VOLUNTARYSUBSCRIBERS CUSTOMERS TO ALLOWUS TO PUT THE VICE ON THEIRAIR CONDITIONING UNIT.THAT ALLOWS US TO REMOTELYTURN OFF THAT AIR CONDITIONERFOR AN HOUR AT A TIME.

ANDTHEY GET COMPENSATED FOR THATHE'S HOPING THAT'S NOTNECESSARY URGING NEIGHBORS TODO EVERYTHING IN THEIR POWERTO KEEP THE POWER ON FOREVERYONE BY CONSERVING WANT TOWORK TOGETHER TO TRY TO KEEPOUR ELECTRICAL SYSTEM INTACTIN SACRAMENTO.

JESSICA, MITCH