Officials Say Climate Change Is Straining California’s Energy System


Extreme heat, severe wildfires and prolonged drought put California residents at increased risk of power outages, as climate-change-induced extreme weather puts additional stress on the state’s already taxed energy grid, officials said on Friday.

Officials said in an online briefing that they are preparing for a scenario that will see California’s energy demand fall behind by about 1,700 megawatts by 2022. The shortage is likely to occur during the summer months after the sun goes down, depriving energy providers of solar energy.

According to the California Energy Commission, one megawatt is enough electrical capacity to power an average of 1,000 California homes. Under bad conditions, the state may lack the amount of energy needed to power more than a million homes.

The situation could worsen if a heatwave causes residents to collectively turn to air conditioners for comfort and increase energy demand.

“If all these things are going to be there, there is real potential for outages, and we have to be prepared for it,” said Mark Rothleder, senior vice president of the California Independent Systems Operator, which helps protect the state’s power grid.

Extreme weather conditions and fire damage to the grid can result in an additional 5,000 megawatts drop.

Authorities also warned of higher electricity bills for Californians as providers mitigate rising natural gas costs, increased transmission costs and wildfire risk.

According to the presentation, the electricity bills of the average customer of California’s largest utility Pacific Gas & Electric will increase by 9 percent to $211 by 2025. That’s on top of a 12 percent increase in the average bill from 2019 to this year.

California officials are taking steps to mitigate the worst effects of climate change on the energy grid. At a briefing Friday by government Gavin Newsom’s office, officials said the state is stepping up energy conservation efforts, boosting energy supply and revising its forecasts to take into account the changing climate.

The state is also increasing California’s investment in renewable energy, which helps meet demand without adding to the strain on the power grid.

“We’ve had to rely on emergency measures the past few summers,” said Alice Reynolds, chair of the California Public Utilities Commission. “But at the same time, the grid is getting cleaner and cleaner.”



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