Gregg Fishman from the California Independent System Operator said fewer resources were available on Monday because a number of power plants are temporarily off-line while they undergo routine maintenance. Another three or four plants are down because of unexpected problems.

Also, Fishman added that it's unusual for temperatures in Southern California to reach the 90s in March, as was the case Monday.

The Independent System Operator issued an alert when electricity reserves dropped below 7 percent. Stage 1 is the least serious of three stages. Residents were asked to voluntarily reduce their use of electricity.

Fishman said the alert was canceled at 8 p.m. when it was no longer needed.

However, Fishman said, "In general, we still have some steps to take before we can feel secure" about the state's energy future.

The California Energy Commission said the same in a 2003 energy policy report sent to the governor and Legislature in November.

"Under average conditions, the state's electricity generation system has adequate supplies to meet demand for at least six years.

Hot weather, coupled with other factors, however, could reduce reserves to very low levels as early as 2006," the report warns.

Fishman said the ability to move power from one area to another still needs shoring up, but progress is being made.

He said construction on Path 15 is under way and expected to be completed by December. Path 15 is an 83-mile long network of electricity wires in the Central Valley.

"It's really part of California's backbone and we're strengthening it," he said.

The addition of a third transmission line to Path 15 will help move electricity between Southern California and Northern California, Fishman said.

The $323 million upgrade is a joint public and private venture involving Pacific Gas and Electric Co.

Trans-Elect Inc., an electric transmission company based in Virginia, and the Western Area Power Administration, an arm of the U.S. Department of Energy.

LaVerne Kyriss, a spokeswoman for the power administration, said work is being done in preparation for stringing the transmission line this summer.

PG&E is working on two substations it operates at both ends of Path 15 so the stations can accommodate the new line, said Cynthia Pollard, a local spokeswoman for the utility.

Personnel are installing new equipment, expanding infrastructure and reconfiguring some equipment.

The utility expects to complete its share of the work in October.

In addition to improving transmission, Fishman said that although the state can generate more electricity than it could before the energy crisis of 2000 and 2001, additional wattage is needed.

He said a number of power plants built 30 or 40 years ago are nearing retirement age and the electricity they generate will either need to be replaced or those plants will need to be made available on an emergency basis.

More than 9,500 megawatts of generating capacity has come online in California in recent years. Three power plants, including Sunrise, La Paloma and Elk Hills in western Kern County, have fired up. Combined, they have the ability to generate about 2,000 megawatts of electricity. One megawatt can power 1,000 homes.