Calif. Considering Planned Blackouts

S A C R A M E N T O, Calif., May 21 -- Californians could soon be waking to electricity blackout forecasts along with the traffic and weather.

The Independent System Operator, keeper of the state's powergrid, was expected to release a report today detailing how such aplan would work.

"I actually think it's a thoughtful plan … to give folks anopportunity to understand the likelihood of blackouts on a dailybasis," said Assemblyman Fred Keeley, the Assembly's point man onenergy.

He compared it to "weather forecasting, to be able to look atthe next three or four days, have a percentile about the likelihoodof blackouts."

Peter Navarro, a University of California, Irvine, economicsprofessor, released a report last month with a consumer group thatrecommends the state set a price limit on what they'll pay forpower. And if generators don't lower the price, the state shouldschedule blackouts to cut consumption, he said.

The report by Navarro and the Utility Consumers' Action Networksays the state's current method of "highly disruptive randomrolling blackouts" needs to be revamped.

UCAN suggests that the state be divided into blackout zones.Utilities could notify customers in the affected areas in advancethat power would be cut at a specific time and for a certainduration.

Invitation to Crime?

Keeley acknowledged that scheduling blackouts could attractcriminals to outage areas and possibly subject the state to legalliability for traffic accidents or other incidents if power isdeliberately shut off.

"That is a genuine problem and genuine concern," Keeley said."I think we would have to work with local governments so theycould have a sufficient advance notice to be able to foresee thatand try to deploy their resources appropriately."

Critics of the planned blackouts said power producers simplycould sell their unused electricity to other states, or trim backproduction to keep supplies short.

Daily Blackouts Proposed

Assemblyman Mike Briggs plans to introduce a bill this week thatwould have the Public Utilities Commission notify businesses andhomeowners as much as one month ahead of time when they would havetheir power cut.