Mountain Views News          Saturday, September 6, 2014

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2014

SECTION B

AROUND SAN GABRIEL VALLEY

From the San Gabrel Valley Economic Partnership


HEAT, FIRES, DROUGHT STRESS SOCAL POWER GRID

By: Cynthia Kurtz, President

 Above average heat, wildfires, and no rain 
have put extreme pressure on the reliability of 
the California power grid that moves electricity 
around the state. That was the message from Dr. 
Robert Weisenmiller, Chair of the California State 
Energy Commission, when he addressed a room of 
San Gabriel Valley business and education leaders 
a few weeks ago.

 The California Energy Commission was created 
in 1974 to oversee state energy policy and planning. 
Dr. Robert Weisenmiller was appointed in 2010. 
Four of the five-member Energy Commission 
appointees are required by law to have specific 
professional training and Dr. Weisenmeiller fills 
the Engineer & Scientist position.

 His 30-years of energy experience in electricity, 
gas markets and California regulatory markets 
is well suited to the issues the Commission is 
addressing this year.

 It has been a hot summer. Temperatures are 
higher - 5.7 degrees above average in Southern 
California. That means more air conditioning 
and electric power usage. Overall the state has 
sufficient electric power and a 20 percent reserve. 
However, power isnÕt generated where the demand 
is located and moving it around isnÕt as easy as you 
may think. 

 In a typical year California has around 3,150 
wildfires. According to the California Office of 
Emergency Services, as of August the state had 
already experienced 4,132 wildfires burning 
over 80,000 acres. And Òwildfire seasonÓ is just 
beginning. In the past California could expect to 
have a ÒbigÓ fire once a decade. There have been 
eight in the last 4 1/2 years. 

 Wildfires have major impacts on the power grid. 
First, they affect the CommissionÕs decisions about 
siting power facilities. Avoiding all the potential 
wildfire areas isnÕt possible with 37 million acres 
of California at risk and 17 million acres at high 
risk.

 Wildfires also affect the movement of power 
around the state. When a fire interrupts a portion 
of the transmission system, the Commission has 
to re-route power around the fire area. Building 
this type of redundancy into the system is 
difficult.

 Less water means less hydropower. Natural gas 
and out-of-state hydropower power are making 
up the difference but at a higher cost. Businesses 
and residents can expect to see those increased 
costs materialize in higher electric bills next year.

Not all the challenges are from nature. Some are 
also man-made. The closure of the San Onofre 
Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) reduced 
power generation by 2,100 megawatts (MW) - 
almost three times the output of a standard 750 
MW fossil fuel fired facility. Equally important 
was the location of SONGS. The transmission 
system was built based on the assumption that an 
operating plant would be there. 

 A three to four day heat wave, higher demand 
in the western U.S., an outage at a strategically 
located plant, or fire damaging the grid could 
result in unplanned outages before the end of the 
year. But the biggest threat is one more year of 
drought. Then, Dr. Weisenmiller says, ÒAll bets are 
off.Ó 

 Businesses and residents alike need to plan 
accordingly. Conserve energy whenever possible 
and if the state calls for a flex alert - be ready to 
reduce power dramatically. 

SPEAKERS ANNOUNCED FOR ÒYES ON AÓ RALLY

 The speakers for the ÒYES on AÓ rally to Save 
Our Altadena Libraries at the main library, 600 
East Mariposa St. at Santa Rosa Ave., include 
advocates from all walks of life. Altadena resident 
Bill Burnett is a Television creator/writer/
composer (NickelodeonÕs ChalkZone, Cartoon 
NetworkÕs Cow & Chicken) whose songs have 
been performed by Bette Midler, BroadwayÕs Patti 
Lupone and many others. He will be joined by 
the librariesÕ Katie Lampier, Suzanne Martin, a 
tutor for the libraryÕs adult literacy program, and 
Library Trustee and Past President of AltadenaÕs 
Delta Kappa Gamma Society, Gwendolyn 
McMullins. 

 The Eliot Middle School Marching Band will set 
the pace, and the Altadena Music Project Choir 
will fill the air with song. Students from nearby 
schools, many of which have no functioning 
libraries, will also raise their voices to tell 
everyone the good our libraries do. Libraries are 
universally recognized as cultural centers, safe 
havens, and centers of learning and resources, 
and the Altadena Libraries are focused on the 
needs of the residents of Altadena.

 ÒThese students and our entire community will 
be hurt if Measure A fails,Ó said Dave Herman, 
chair of the Alliance to Save Our Altadena 
Libraries. ÒAt the very least library services would 
be severely slashed, and the Bob Lucas Branch 
might have to be closed.Ó

 This rally is an opportunity for the Altadena 
community to show how much they care and to 
step up and make sure these drastic cuts donÕt 
happen. For those who want to be more active, 
ÒYES on AÓ lawn signs will be made available for 
supporters.

 Thursday Sept. 11, 4:30 PM, Main Altadena Library
Mariposa and Christmas Tree Lane

 For more information about the September 11 
rally and the ÒYES on AÓ campaign, including 
how to volunteer and to donate, visit http://www.
altadenaalliance.org and our Facebook page or 
call (626) 470-7333.


The Contractors State License Board 

invites you to a 

SENIOR SCAM STOPPER SEMINAR

Friday, September 12, 2014

10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

South Pasadena Senior Center

1102 Oxley Street, South Pasadena, CA 91030

Protect Yourself

One in five seniors has been a victim of fraud.

Seniors are the most targeted group.

New scams are developed constantly.

Join us and learn how to protect yourself.Seniors, 

their families, and are welcome to attend 

this free seminar.

For more information or to RSVP, please visit my website.


Inside This Section:

The World Around Us 

Business News & Trends 

Opinion 

 Legal Notices


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