By Jennifer Coleman, Associated Press
Sacramento,
Calif. - California's power grid managers on Monday ordered statewide
rolling blackouts for the first time since March, cutting enough
electricity for about 225,000 homes.
Before the
blackouts, the California Independent System Operator had urged
conservation because high temperatures in California and the Southwest
were pushing up demand for electricity.
In addition,
several key power plants were closed for pre-summer maintenance,
officials said. Those plants normally would provide enough power
for about 9.4 million homes.
Among the
plants down for repairs are four nuclear power plants.
The last time
California's power crisis caused blackouts was in March.
The ISO declared
a Stage 2 alert Monday morning as electricity reserves dwindled
to close to 5 percent. A Stage 3 alert, when reserves near 1.5
percent, can prompt the blackouts.
California
was hit with rolling blackouts Jan. 17 and 18 and March 19 and
20.
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