Blackouts Hit California Again

S A C R A M E N T O, Calif., May 7 -- California's power grid managersordered statewide rolling blackouts today for the first time sinceMarch, cutting enough electricity for about 225,000 homes.

The California Independent System Operator said hightemperatures and tight electricity supplies led to the hourlongblackouts.

"We expected demand to peak between 3 and 4 p.m. and itdidn't," said ISO spokeswoman Lorie O'Donley. "It just continuedto climb."

Grid managers asked utilities to cut 300 megawatts. One megawattis enough to power about 750 homes.

Pacific Gas and Electric Co. spokesman Ron Low said the utilitywas cutting power to about 56,000 customers in Northern and CentralCalifornia. Another 36,000 customers of Southern California Edisonlost power, as did a smaller number of customers of the SacramentoMunicipal Utility District.

Familiar Call for Conservation

Before the blackouts, the ISO had urged conservation becausewarm weather across the West was pushing up demand for electricity.

In addition, several key power plants were closed for pre-summermaintenance, officials said. Those plants normally would provideenough power for about 9.4 million homes.

Among the plants down for repairs are four nuclear power plants.

The ISO declared a Stage 2 alert this morning as electricityreserves dwindled to close to 5 percent. A Stage 3 alert, whenreserves near 1.5 percent, can prompt blackouts.

California was hit with rolling blackouts Jan. 17 and 18 andMarch 19 and 20.