Calif. Utilities Issue Urgent Appeal to Cut Electricity Use.SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 31, 1998--Electric customers throughout California are being asked to reduce non-essential use of electricity wherever possible today. A heat wave in Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, is causing a very high demand for electricity, especially in the Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. and San Diego San Diego (săn dēā`gō), city (1990 pop. 1,110,549), seat of San Diego co., S Calif., on San Diego Bay; inc. 1850. San Diego includes the unincorporated communities of La Jolla and Spring Valley. Coronado is across the bay. areas. Due to a resulting drop in electric reserves, the California Independent System Operator (ISO (1) See ISO speed. (2) (International Organization for Standardization, Geneva, Switzerland, www.iso.ch) An organization that sets international standards, founded in 1946. The U.S. member body is ANSI. ) initiated a Stage 2 electric emergency at 3:05 p.m. today. During a Stage 2 emergency, electric customers throughout California are asked to take immediate actions to curtail cur·tail tr.v. cur·tailed, cur·tail·ing, cur·tails To cut short or reduce. See Synonyms at shorten. [Middle English curtailen, to restrict energy use. In addition, large industrial and commercial customers with pre-arranged agreements to interrupt their electric service in the event of a Stage 2 emergency are being asked to curtail power at this time. Pacific Gas and Electric Company
The Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) , (NYSE: PCG), is the utility that provides natural gas and electricity to most of Northern California. urges customers to take these specific actions now: -0-
-- Turn off air conditioners.
-- Stop using electric water heaters, clothes dryers, dishwashers,
washing machines, ranges and ovens, pool equipment, and all
lighting except if needed for safety.
-- Limit irrigation pumping to night and early morning hours.
-0- The appeal is being made to all California electric users, not just PG&E customers. PG&E is using all available electric power management programs and has curtailed service to large industrial customers wherever it can. Under the state's Electrical Emergency Plan, such action is taken when the electric reserve margin, or backup generating capacity, drops to five percent above customer demand. PG&E thanks its customers for their cooperation during this emergency. For more information about PG&E, please visit our web site, http://www.pge.com.
CONTACT: PG&E News Department, 415/973-5930
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