Skip to content
CapRadio

CapRadio

signal status listen live donate
listen live donate signal status
listen live donate signal status
  • News
    • topics
    • State Government
    • Environment
    • Health Care
    • Race and Equity
    • Business
    • Arts and Lifestyle
    • Food and Sustainability
    • PolitiFact California
  • Music
    • genres
    • Classical
    • Jazz
    • Eclectic
    • Daily Playlist
  • Programs + Podcasts
    • news
    • Morning Edition
    • All Things Considered
    • Marketplace
    • Insight With Vicki Gonzalez
    • music
    • Acid Jazz
    • At the Opera
    • Classical Music
    • Connections
    • Excellence in Jazz
    • Hey, Listen!
    • K-ZAP on CapRadio
    • Mick Martin's Blues Party
    • Programs A-Z
    • Podcast Directory
  • Schedules
    • News
    • Music
    • ClassicalStream
    • JazzStream
    • Weekly Schedule
    • Daily Playlist
  • Community
    • Events Calendar
    • CapRadio Garden
    • CapRadio Reads
    • Ticket Giveaways
  • Support
    • Evergreen Gift
    • One-Time Gift
    • Corporate Support
    • Vehicle Donation
    • Stock Gift
    • Legacy Gift
    • Endowment Gift
    • Benefits
    • Member FAQ
    • e‑Newsletter
    • Drawing Winners
    • Thank You Gifts
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Close Menu
 We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter 
 We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter 
  • Environment
  • State Government
  •  

California Drought: Power Supply Will Meet Summer Demand

  •  Ed Joyce 
Thursday, May 7, 2015 | Sacramento, CA
Listen
/
Update RequiredTo play audio, update browser or Flash plugin.
Andrew Nixon / Capital Public Radio

The control room in Folsom, California for the state's power grid manager, the California Independent System Operator. The room includes an 80-foot wide system of monitors.

Andrew Nixon / Capital Public Radio

The California Independent System Operator (CAL-ISO) said that electricity supplies will be sufficient to meet the 2015 summer peak - even under the extreme scenario of hot temperatures "that happen only once every 10 years."

CAL-ISO released its 2015 Summer Loads and Resources Assessment Thursday. 

Steven Greenlee with CAL-ISO said additional electricity generation from solar will help meet supply demand in the summer and offset a decline in California hydropower sources due to the drought.

"That is one of things that has been helping us for the last couple of years as a matter of fact," said Greenlee. "We're seeing more renewables added to the grid each year as we go by." 

Greenlee said renewable resources, including solar, wind, and geothermal, now make up nearly 25 percent of the power supply mix. Natural gas is about 59 percent with hydropower at 12 percent. 

He said CAL-ISO will be keeping a close watch on Southern California, where wildfires, high demand and "transmission congestion" can stress the grid during the summer.


Follow us for more stories like this

CapRadio provides a trusted source of news because of you.  As a nonprofit organization, donations from people like you sustain the journalism that allows us to discover stories that are important to our audience. If you believe in what we do and support our mission, please donate today.

Donate Today  

    More about drought

  • State Of Drought

    Reservoir levels are at historic lows, municipalities are ordering mandatory conservation and farmers are bracing for water shortages. CapRadio is following how Californians are being impacted by the drought.

    Related Stories

  • InciWeb-Angeles National Forest / Courtesy

    Drought Intensifies As Wildfires Grow In Western U.S.

    Thursday, July 28, 2016
    The drought intensified over the last week in the Western U.S. as the region swelters under a heatwave and firefighters battle major wildfires.
  • Ed Joyce / Capital Public Radio

    Sacramento Water Agency Ends Mandatory Conservation

    Wednesday, June 8, 2016
    Another Sacramento area water agency has moved to voluntary conservation after California ended mandatory restrictions.
  • Andrew Nixon / Capital Public Radio

    Drought Conditions Improve In California, Nevada

    Thursday, May 19, 2016
    The U.S. Drought Center says the past week brought "widespread improvements" in drought conditions in northern California and Nevada.
  • Andrew Nixon / Capital Public Radio

    Summer Power Supply 'Adequate' For California

    Wednesday, May 18, 2016
    California's energy grid manager says supply should be adequate for the summer, despite potential natural gas shortages in Southern California.
  • Amy Quinton / Capital Public Radio

    Major California Reservoir Storage 50 Percent Below Average

    Tuesday, October 6, 2015
    Water storage has dwindled at six major reservoirs in California.
  • C.M. Kelner / Flickr Creative Commons

    Solar Project Planned At Former California Nuclear Power Plant Site

    Thursday, September 10, 2015
    The site of a former nuclear power plant in northern California will now be used to provide solar energy.
  • Rich Pedroncelli / AP

    Drought Tightens Grip In Western U.S. As Wildfires Spread

    Thursday, July 30, 2015
    The above-average rains of the past week did not ease drought conditions or improve reservoir storage in California. The drought expanded in other parts of the western U.S.
  • Rich Pedroncelli / AP

    Climate Change Meets Drought In California

    Thursday, July 16, 2015
    Drought, combined with the effects of climate change, may likely mean more water restrictions in California.
  • California Department of Water Resources

    California Drought: Forecast To Persist, Intensify Through October

    Thursday, July 16, 2015
    There were “minor improvements” to exceptional drought in northeastern California last week, but drought is forecast to persist and intensify through October.
  • Andrew Nixon / Capital Public Radio

    Fire Officials: Hobby Drones Hamper Firefighting In California

    Friday, July 10, 2015
    Federal, state, Sacramento County and other fire agencies want people who fly hobby drones to stay out the sky near wildfires.
  • Ed Joyce / Capital Public Radio

    California Drought: Warmest June Ever For California

    Thursday, July 9, 2015
    California is on pace for its warmest year on record in the fourth year of drought.
  • Andrew Nixon / Capital Public Radio

    Record Heat Dries Out California, Fire Risk Increases

    Thursday, July 2, 2015
    Record summer heat has increased fire risk in California and the Western U.S. as drought conditions expand.
  • Californians Cut Water Use 29 Percent In May

    Wednesday, July 1, 2015
    Statewide water conservation exceeded the mandatory goal in May and Sacramento reduced water use 40 percent.
  • Andrew Nixon / CapRadio

    Fire Concerns With Fireworks Sales In Northern California

    Wednesday, July 1, 2015
    In the fourth year of drought in California, sales and use of "safe and sane" fireworks are restricted in some areas, allowed in others.
  • Andrew Nixon / Capital Public Radio

    Forecast: Continued Dry And 'Exceptionally Hot'

    Thursday, June 25, 2015
    The U.S. Drought Monitor shows no change in California or Nevada's drought from the previous week and above normal temperatures are expected the next two weeks.
  • Source: California Department of Water Resources

    California Drought: 'Harsher' Impacts For Ag Industry In 2015

    Tuesday, June 2, 2015
    Water experts at UC Davis said Tuesday that drought impacts will be worse in 2015 for the California agricultural industry.
  • Ed Joyce / Capital Public Radio

    California Drought: El Niño Won’t End Dry Times In California

    Wednesday, May 27, 2015
    NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center and meteorologists in other countries show that strong-to-moderate El Niño conditions are present in the tropical Pacific. But it won't end the drought in California.
  • Courtesy of Sacramento Convention and Visitors Bureau

    California Drought: Sacramento’s Gold Rush Days Back With Water Saving Plan

    Monday, May 18, 2015
    After it was called off in 2014 due to the drought, Old Town Sacramento's Gold Rush Days is back in 2015.
  • Damian Dovarganes / AP

    California Drought: Folsom Rolls Out Rebates, Water Conservation Plan

    Wednesday, May 6, 2015
    Less than a day after state regulators issued new water conservation guidelines, the City of Folsom rolled out its plan to reduce water use.
  • Andrew Nixon / Capital Public Radio

    California Drought: Summer Power Supply 'Looking Good'

    Monday, May 4, 2015
    The fourth year of drought and above-normal summer temperatures are not expected to put a strain on California’s power supply.
  • planetlight / Flickr

    California Drought: 'Exceptional' Drought Expands In Sierra

    Thursday, April 23, 2015
    As California enters the dry season, the latest U.S. Drought Monitor report shows one category expanding.
  • Ed Joyce / Capital Public Radio

    California Drought: ‘Dire Circumstances’ For Water Supply

    Thursday, April 9, 2015
    Despite the recent rain and snowfall, California's water deficit continues. And El Niño conditions will have little impact on northern California.
  • Photo Courtesy Pacific Institute / slobo / istock.com

    Study: California Drought Decreases HydroPower, Increases Greenhouse Gas Emissions

    Tuesday, March 17, 2015
    A new study says the drought in California has caused an increased use of natural gas for electricity supply as diminished river flows decrease hydropower generation. The result is higher electricity costs and increased greenhouse gas emissions.
  • NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory / AP

    California Drought Persists; 2014 Warmest Year On Record

    Thursday, January 8, 2015
    Federal meteorologists said Thursday that California and Nevada had their warmest year on record in 2014. Meanwhile, the latest U.S. Drought Monitor shows the drought persists in both states and in the U.S. southwest.

 droughtclimate changewildfiresCAL-ISOHydropowerSolar PowerCalifornia Independent System Operator

Ed Joyce

Former All Things Considered Anchor & Reporter

Ed Joyce is a former reporter and All Things Considered news anchor at Capital Public Radio. Ed is a veteran journalist with experience in a variety of news positions across all media platforms, including radio, television, web and print.   Read Full Bio 

Sign up for ReCap and never miss the top stories

Delivered to your inbox every Friday.

 

Check out a sample ReCap newsletter.

Thanks for subscribing!

Thank you for signing up for the ReCap newsletter! We'll send you an email each Friday with the top stories from CapRadio.

Browse all newsletters

More Environment Stories

Nina Riggio / CalMatters

California wants to force insurers to reward homeowners for fireproofing homes

May 26, 2022

Nina Riggio for CalMatters

Going electric: California car mandate would hit mechanics hard

May 24, 2022

Photo by Miguel Gutierrez Jr., CalMatters

‘Everyone loses’: Sacramento Valley struggles to survive unprecedented water cuts

May 23, 2022

Most Viewed

California coronavirus updates: The COVID surge may be larger than reported

U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla will appear on California’s June primary ballot twice. Here’s why.

Downtown Sacramento shooting: What we know and latest updates

California Governor Gavin Newsom tests positive for COVID-19

Top California Democrats in a stalemate over gas rebates

We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter

Most Viewed

California coronavirus updates: The COVID surge may be larger than reported

U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla will appear on California’s June primary ballot twice. Here’s why.

Downtown Sacramento shooting: What we know and latest updates

California Governor Gavin Newsom tests positive for COVID-19

Top California Democrats in a stalemate over gas rebates

Back to Top

  • CapRadio

    7055 Folsom Boulevard
    Sacramento, CA 95826-2625

    • (916) 278-8900
    • Toll-free (877) 480-5900
    • Email Us
    • Submit a News Tip
  • Contact Us

  • About Us

    • Contact Us / Feedback
    • Coverage
    • Directions
    • Careers & Internships
    • Mission / Vision / Core Values
    • Press
    • Staff Directory
    • Board of Directors
  • Listening Options

    • Mobile App
    • On Air Schedules
    • Smart Speakers
    • Playlist
    • Podcasts
    • RSS
  • Connect With Us

    •  Facebook
    •  Twitter
    •  Instagram
    •  YouTube
  • Donate

  • Listen

  • Newsletters

CapRadio stations are licensed to California State University, Sacramento. © 2022, Capital Public Radio. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Website Feedback FCC Public Files: KXJZ KKTO KUOP KQNC KXPR KXSR KXJS. For assistance accessing our public files, please call 916-278-8900 or email us.