By Terry Miller
Pasadena residents, along with the entire Southern California region, could face possible rolling electrical blackouts throughout the summer, as a direct result from the leak and subsequent shutdown of the Southern California Gas Company’s Aliso Canyon facility.
According to William Boyer, public information officer for the City of Pasadena, a social media campaign to prepare the public for the possible blackouts is underway.
With the massive leak at Aliso Canyon, there may not be enough natural gas reserves to generate the power needed on excessively hot days when air conditioning units put a heavy load on the grids.
Boyer stresses, however, that careful and common sense conservation efforts, such as keeping drapes closed to cool the home, unplugging computers and televisions when not in use, etc. … could contribute to an overall positive conservation level where blackouts may not be necessary.
CAL ISO, Southern California Gas and Edison prepare for at least 12 to 14 days of excessive heat during the summer months.
The community will begin to see the information in a variety of mediums: print (local newspapers), in person, outdoor ads, and digital, which includes local cable station public service announcements.
The outreach campaign will focus on informing the community that rolling blackouts are a real possibility and that consumers must do their part in conserving energy.
Residents will also be encouraged to save energy by participating in increased energy efficiency rebate programs, to provide Pasadena Water and Power (PWP) with updated contact info in case of an outage and to register for flex alerts and to learn more by using PWP’s website.
If customers have medical conditions that require constant energy they should alert PWP at (626) 744-4005 to ensure PWP is aware of their particular needs. For all other emergency issues call (626) 744-4673
Information and advisories about rolling blackouts can be found here.
