Hydro shortage affecting ISO summer supply

May 12, 2014 | By Barbara Vergetis Lundin

The California Independent System Operator Corporation (ISO) is reporting that it has adequate power supplies to meet summer peaks despite drought conditions. The state's hydroelectric supply is well below average.

Southern Orange and San Diego counties will be a focus of summer grid operations in the event that heat waves, unexpected power plant outages or wildfires threaten transmission lines and challenge reliability in the area affected by the closure of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station.

While drought conditions will have little impact on supply availability in San Diego and Orange counties, the overall ISO system will have less hydroelectricity than last year. As of April 29, 2014, statewide precipitation was at 56 percent of average. The ISO expects to have 1,370 MW to 1,669 MW less in-state hydro for summer 2014. Pacific Northwest hydro conditions are about normal and should help make up for some of the low California hydro conditions.

The ISO projects that 53,950 MW of power capacity will be available this summer -- an increase of about 3,243 MW of new generation since last summer. About 68 percent of the new generation is from renewable resources, which make up about 22 percent of the ISO resource mix -- an increase of about 4 percent from summer 2013.

For more:
- see this report

http://www.fierceenergy.com/story/hydro-shortage-affecting-iso-summer-supply/2014-05-12