Looks like it will be an interesting summer for California. I guess that alt.energy is not baseload capacity after all. From Reuters:
California power grid prepares for heatwave, possible natgas shortage
California will have its first test of plans to keep the lights on this summer following the shutdown of the key Aliso Canyon natural gas storage facility as temperatures in the Los Angeles area are forecast to hit triple digits this week.
With record-setting heat and air conditioning demand expected in Southern California, the state's power grid operator issued a so-called "flex alert," urging consumers to conserve energy to help prevent rotating power outages - which could occur regardless.
Electricity demand is expected to rise during the unseasonable heatwave on Monday and Tuesday, with forecast system-wide use expected to top 45,000 megawatts, said the California Independent System Operator (ISO), which manages electricity flow through the state. That compares with a peak demand of 47,358 MW last year and the all-time high of 50,270 MW set in July 2006.
That could put stress on the power grid, particularly with the shut-in of Aliso Canyon, following a massive leak at the underground storage facility in October. The facility, in the San Fernando Valley, is the second largest storage field in the western United States, according to federal data, and therefore crucial for power generation.
I had written about the Aliso Canyon leak before here and here - basically, it was the eco-disaster you did not hear about. Baseload capacity is how much electricity can you generate 24/7 - not when the sun is shining, not when the wind is blowing, not when the tides are running, 24/7. None of the alternative energy projects have been able to do this so far. Nuclear would be my choice.
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