Warnings of Southern California blackouts called misleading
Source: Reuters
World | Tue Apr 12, 2016 6:39pm EDT
Warnings of Southern California blackouts called misleading
LOS ANGELES | BY STEVE GORMAN
California energy officials intent on reopening a major natural gas storage field idled by the country's worst-ever methane leak have resorted to scare tactics in raising the prospect of looming power outages in Los Angeles, utility critics said on Tuesday.
Three state regulatory bodies and the city Water and Power Department warned last week the region faced up to 14 days of blackouts this summer as gas-fired power plants go without supplies normally furnished by the crippled Aliso Canyon field when electricity demand peaks.
Southern California Gas Co, the division of San Diego-based utility giant Sempra Energy that owns Aliso Canyon, remains barred from refilling the underground storage reserve until the facility is deemed safe to operate again.
But consumer and environmental advocacy group Food & Water Watch, which has joined local activists demanding Aliso Canyon be permanently closed, issued a report challenging the state's conclusions. It said forecasts of potential blackouts were based on inflated estimates of the region's power demands and other "unsubstantiated or flawed data."
The rebuttal study found, for example, that the state's analysis discounted the ability of three smaller SoCal Gas storage fields to make up for lost supplies from Aliso Canyon.
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Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-california-methane-idUSKCN0X92QT
Earlier thread: Officials: Gas Leak May Cause Blackouts in California
