officials study grid close call dave kim think reference article example price controls degrade reliability bill insights happened day let dave perrino sue mara know thanks alan officials study grid close call published friday aug 10 2001 san jose mercury news steve johnson john woolfolk glennda chui mercury news two energy agencies announced thursday investigating charges california generators disregarded orders provide electricity atlanta based mirant admitted role last week incident briefly imperiled western power grid california officials said two companies failed deliver expected power aug 2 pushed grid dangerously close collapse threatening outages electrical lifeline 65 million people could take state federal officials time sort conflicting accounts led power shortfall prevent happening generators federal official questioned california independent system operator handling emergency said rules governing power plants must respond state orders supplying electricity need clarified stephanie mccorkle california agency said incident latest series generators follow orders said state officials particularly troubled reasons firms involved offered falling short delivering promised electricity asked following dispatch instructions said adding provided explanations add makes us suspicious mccorkle said aug 2 incident occurred two power companies balked state orders provide power left western grid vast network high voltage lines transformers electrical gear spans 14 states parts canada mexico sudden severe electrical shortage uncorrected others said could led widespread power outages although officials need keep grid electrical frequency 60 hertz aug 2 shortage lowered 59 93 hertz state officials said blackouts could occur 59 65 hertz mccorkle declined name companies involved patrick dorinson spokesman mirant three plants bay area said partly responsible offering details happened blamed incident inadvertent error company employee making timely call software problems computers happens dorinson said people make mistakes official federal energy regulatory commission one agencies investigating matter said views aug 2 incident alarm wants ensure problem happen agency also intends look whether penalties order point official said unclear whether problem stemmed confusion incompetence attempts manipulate market prices official said agency also wants know california independent system operator declare statewide emergency aug 2 promised electricity delivered done said agency would leverage generators power company representatives complained iso always give generators enough time get plants warmed sufficiently provide power needs many plants takes lot longer 10 minutes ramp said richard wheatley spokesman reliant energy houston physically iso officials defended procedures spokesman gregg fishman said issuing emergency declaration aug 2 feasible quick said less half hour total start finish able deal appropriately without suffering blackouts incident also looked western systems coordinating council voluntary confederation energy suppliers utility officials sets rules managing grids region nearly 1 8 million square miles robert dintelman agency assistant executive director said brief electricity fluctuations one hit california worse occur twice month across west aug 1 example frequency dipped 59 75 montana electrical disturbance forced large power plant offline dintelman said said california claim generators following orders unusual alarming added council issue fines rule violations dintelman said sure levied defying orders deliver power nationally violators typically get away little slap wrist penalties weak said ellen vancko north american electric reliability council group pushing congress make system tougher legislation stalled meanwhile said grid rule violations appear rise nationwide although motivation incidents varies said sometimes responsible break rules reason benefit even means dragging frequency entire grid putting everybody risk contact steve johnson sjohnson sjmercury com 408 920 5043