Dive Summary:

• The San Onofre nuclear plant, owned by Edison International, was California’s largest source of baseload power, providing 3.7% of the state’s energy capacity.
• With the reactor down, limited hydro power, and a rising price of electricity, California is headed for power outages on par with the state’s 2002 energy crisis which resulted in blackouts for millions.
• NRG Energy Inc., the biggest power provider to U.S. utilities, has run its gas-fired power plants two to three times more than usual due to the San Onofre shutdown.

From the article:
“The shutdown of the nuclear units in Southern California also eliminates key voltage support on transmission lines, which limits how much power can be imported into the region, Mark Repsher, a Denver-based energy industry specialist at PA Consulting Group…”