California Orders Grid Emergency, Power Shortfalls Loom
- Latest outage shows how vulnerable grid is to extreme weather
- Parts of Washington, Idaho lost power during historic heat
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California ordered a stage-2 power-grid emergency -- one step away from rolling blackouts -- as a searing heat wave drives temperatures into triple-digits and sends demand for electricity soaring.
The state’s grid operator called for the measure as wildfires -- including the Bootleg Fire in south-central Oregon -- threaten transmission lines bringing power into California. It comes as a historic drought grips the Western U.S. and temperatures reach record levels in parts of the region.