ROLLING BLACKOUT AVERTED CANADIAN ELECTRICITY ALLOWS POWER SHORTAGE REPRIEVE.

Byline: Charles F. Bostwick and Amy Raisin Staff Writers

SANTA CLARITA - Guests who checked in Thursday night at the Valencia Hilton got a set of room keys - and a flashlight.

The housekeeping staff was on standby to guide guests in the dark, and engineers were manning the elevators.

Out on the streets in Santa Clarita, the California Highway Patrol and Santa Clarita Valley sheriff's station deployed officers at busy intersections at about 5 p.m., to be on hand to direct motorists should traffic signals go out during the rainy rush hour.

Around 5:10 p.m. Southern California Edison called off a scheduled ``rolling black-out'' that had been ordered in the region to conserve electricity as supplies slumped to a critical level.

The California Independent Systems Operator, which manages the power supply for much of the state, was able to secure additional power from Canada to maintain reserves and avert an energy crisis.

``That is good. (We were) getting ready for it, ready to respond anywhere it happened. Looks like we won't have to now,'' said sheriff's Lt. Larry Gump.

Traffic deputies, he added were relieved. ``They were going to have to stand out there in the rain.''

At midmorning Thursday, state officials had warned of rolling blackouts, and energy users on interruptable power contracts were told to cut electrical usage or face punitively high charges.

The agency told utilities to notify their customers on interruptable contracts to shut down - and warned rolling blackouts may become necessary, with neighborhoods' power cut off for an hour at a time.

HR Textron in the Valencia Industrial Center shut down to save electrical power.

At College of the Canyons, classes had not yet resumed from the winter break, so it was relatively easy to shut down most of the campus, spokeswoman Sue Bozman said.

``Because classes aren't in session until the 22nd, this is the time when we're able to be the most helpful in conserving energy,'' Bozman said.

COC had been fined $126,000 in 2000 when it refused requests to shut down for 10 days, mainly during final exams or in the winter months when it was dark early.

The Admissions and Records office stayed open so students could register for the coming spring semester, she said. COC has a short-term battery backup for the computer system that allows the school to shut it down properly if power goes out. Also, the phone system can stay on for about six hours during a power outage. Concerned about the interruptable power program - which has led to skyrocketing power prices for some businesses and schools - Assemblyman George Runner, R-Lancaster, on Thursday urged the Public Utilities Commission chairwoman to allow some customers to opt out.

During a 30-minute meeting in his Sacramento office with Chairwoman Loretta Lynch, Runner said he asked her to review the arrangement that few had expected would become so costly.

``Since the plan is much more onerous than anyone ever thought . . . I think it's important to review that issue,'' said Runner, whose district covers Santa Clarita.

Businesses and institutions across the area, including COC, are signed on to the interruptable power agreement that offers lower rates in exchange for reducing power when called on to do so in peak times.

With the power crunch, however, customers have been repeatedly called on to cut power - more than most anticipated.

Customers that fail to comply face stiff penalties to stay plugged in.

Runner said he had been concerned that the PUC was not letting those who wanted out of their contracts to do so. But he said he was told some customers are on five-year contracts that spell out when they can opt out.

``I think at least we're going to get some cooperation with getting people through these long-term contracts,'' the assemblyman said.

``Nobody should be kept to their five-year contracts,'' he said. ``I think there should be an obligation for the PUC to move people out of those very onerous situations.''

Runner also said he asked the chairwoman to consider making contracts more tailor-made, for example, so schools could shut down during summer months or during times they are not in session.

Meanwhile, Edison customers don't know what to expect.

Tim Ridgeway of Remo Inc. said the percussion manufacturer in Valencia expects scores of visitors next week when a trade show opens in Southern California. The company exports to more than 100 nations, many of which will have representatives in town to tour the Remo facility.

``We're just hoping our lights don't go out,'' Ridgeway said.