Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility

Corporation for Public Broadcasting to Close After Funding Cut, in Blow to Local Media

5 hours ago

‘Freedom Week’: California Gun Owners Rush to Buy Ammo After Court Ruling

8 hours ago

Wall Street Selloff Sparked by Trump Tariffs, Amazon Results, Weak Payrolls

9 hours ago

US Construction Spending Extends Decline in June

9 hours ago

Global Shares in Red After US Jobs Data, Trump’s Tariff Salvo

9 hours ago

Construction of $200M Trump Ballroom at the White House to Begin in September

1 day ago

US Senate Committee Backs $1 Billion for Ukraine in Pentagon Spending Bill

1 day ago

Trump Says Mexico Trade Deal Extended for 90 Days

1 day ago

Fresno Unified Trustee Susan Wittrup Responds to $162,000 Payout

2 days ago
Newsom Demands Probe of Weekend Power Blackouts
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 5 years ago on
August 17, 2020

Share

An irate Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an emergency proclamation allowing some energy users and utilities to tap backup energy sources amid the state’s days-long heatwave that has prompted rolling blackouts affecting hundreds of thousands of households.

Newsom also sent a letter demanding that the state energy commission, state public utilities commission and the California Independent System Operator investigate broad energy blackouts over the weekend that he said occurred without prior warning or enough time to prepare.

He said residents battling a heat wave and a pandemic in which they’re encouraged to stay home as much as possible were left without the basic necessity of electricity.

Governor Says He Was Not Informed

Newsom said he was not informed until moments before the blackouts started and that the failure to anticipate and protect against the service disruptions was “unacceptable and unbefitting” of California.

Californians packed beaches and river banks over the weekend to cool off from scorching triple-digit temperature that raised the risk of more wildfires and fears of coronavirus spread.

The unusually hot weather overwhelmed the state’s electrical grid, prompting the California Independent System Operator, which runs the grid, to warn of another electricity supply shortage Sunday, though that one was averted.

First Rolling Blackouts in Almost 20 Years

California ISO ordered the first rolling outages in nearly 20 years on Friday when it directed utilities around the state to shed their power loads. The state’s three biggest utilities — Pacific Gas & Electric, Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas and Electric — turned off power to more than 410,000 homes and businesses for about an hour at a time until the emergency declaration ended 3 1/2 hours later.

The ISO instituted a second, but shorter, rolling outage Saturday evening that cut power to more than 200,000 customers.

Customers are asked to reduce energy use, especially during peak evening hours, and have been told rolling outages may continue through Wednesday night.

California also still faces the threat of power outages to prevent wildfires. Thousands were without power for days last year when Pacific Gas & Electric and other utilities shut off lines amid high, dry winds in order to prevent wildfires.

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

US Judges Speak Out About Death Threats, ‘Swattings,’ and ‘Pizza Doxings’

DON'T MISS

It’s Raining Cash for Some 2026 Fresno City Council Hopefuls

DON'T MISS

Fresno County Finds E. Coli at Avocado Lake. Don’t Swim There

DON'T MISS

Trump Fires US Labor Department’s Statistical Leader After Weaker Than Expected Jobs Report

DON'T MISS

Corporation for Public Broadcasting to Close After Funding Cut, in Blow to Local Media

DON'T MISS

Trump Eyes Bringing Azerbaijan, Central Asian Nations Into Abraham Accords, Sources Say

DON'T MISS

Farmers in West Fresno County to Consider 200% Groundwater Pumping Fee Hike

DON'T MISS

Trump Orders Nuclear Submarines Moved Near Russia

DON'T MISS

Fresno Councilmember Vang Accused of Conflict of Interest in Budget Vote

DON'T MISS

Ghislaine Maxwell Moved From Florida Prison to Lower-Security Facility

UP NEXT

It’s Raining Cash for Some 2026 Fresno City Council Hopefuls

UP NEXT

Fresno County Finds E. Coli at Avocado Lake. Don’t Swim There

UP NEXT

Trump Fires US Labor Department’s Statistical Leader After Weaker Than Expected Jobs Report

UP NEXT

Corporation for Public Broadcasting to Close After Funding Cut, in Blow to Local Media

UP NEXT

Trump Eyes Bringing Azerbaijan, Central Asian Nations Into Abraham Accords, Sources Say

UP NEXT

Farmers in West Fresno County to Consider 200% Groundwater Pumping Fee Hike

UP NEXT

Trump Orders Nuclear Submarines Moved Near Russia

UP NEXT

Fresno Councilmember Vang Accused of Conflict of Interest in Budget Vote

UP NEXT

Ghislaine Maxwell Moved From Florida Prison to Lower-Security Facility

UP NEXT

Trump Escalates Trade War With Canada Following Palestine Stance

Trump Fires US Labor Department’s Statistical Leader After Weaker Than Expected Jobs Report

4 hours ago

Corporation for Public Broadcasting to Close After Funding Cut, in Blow to Local Media

5 hours ago

Trump Eyes Bringing Azerbaijan, Central Asian Nations Into Abraham Accords, Sources Say

5 hours ago

Farmers in West Fresno County to Consider 200% Groundwater Pumping Fee Hike

6 hours ago

Trump Orders Nuclear Submarines Moved Near Russia

6 hours ago

Fresno Councilmember Vang Accused of Conflict of Interest in Budget Vote

7 hours ago

Ghislaine Maxwell Moved From Florida Prison to Lower-Security Facility

7 hours ago

Trump Escalates Trade War With Canada Following Palestine Stance

7 hours ago

Valley Crime Stoppers’ Most Wanted Person of the Day: Scott Oscar Whitehead

8 hours ago

‘Freedom Week’: California Gun Owners Rush to Buy Ammo After Court Ruling

8 hours ago

US Judges Speak Out About Death Threats, ‘Swattings,’ and ‘Pizza Doxings’

United States judges spoke out against the unprecedented surge in violence and disturbing threats made against members of the judicial branc...

2 hours ago

United States judges speaking about receiving violent threats over rulings
2 hours ago

US Judges Speak Out About Death Threats, ‘Swattings,’ and ‘Pizza Doxings’

Fresno city hall with council campaign finance money
3 hours ago

It’s Raining Cash for Some 2026 Fresno City Council Hopefuls

E. coli identified at avocado lake
4 hours ago

Fresno County Finds E. Coli at Avocado Lake. Don’t Swim There

President Donald Trump speaks at a dinner with Republican Senators, in the State Dining Room at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., July 18, 2025. (Reuters File)
4 hours ago

Trump Fires US Labor Department’s Statistical Leader After Weaker Than Expected Jobs Report

Breaking News from Reuters
5 hours ago

Corporation for Public Broadcasting to Close After Funding Cut, in Blow to Local Media

President Donald Trump delivers remarks in the Roosevelt Room at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., July 31, 2025. (Reuters File)
5 hours ago

Trump Eyes Bringing Azerbaijan, Central Asian Nations Into Abraham Accords, Sources Say

6 hours ago

Farmers in West Fresno County to Consider 200% Groundwater Pumping Fee Hike

President Donald Trump speaks after disembarking Marine One, as he departs for Scotland, at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, U.S., July 25, 2025. (Reuters/Evelyn Hockstein)
6 hours ago

Trump Orders Nuclear Submarines Moved Near Russia

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend