Rotating Outages Quick Links Collection
California Balancing Authorities
A balancing authority is responsible for maintaining the electricity balance within its region. It does this by controlling the generation and transmission of electricity throughout its own region, and between neighboring balancing authorities. California has eight balancing authorities.
California Independent System Operator (CAISO): the largest balancing authority in the state. It manages the flow of electricity across the high-voltage, long-distance power lines for the grid serving 80% of California and a small part of Nevada. It encompasses the three largest investor-owned utility territories in California and some municipal utility service areas.
The seven smaller balancing authorities are primarily responsible for operations within their own service territories: (only territories within California are listed)
Balancing Authority of Northern California (BANC) – covers Sacramento Municipal Utility District, Modesto Irrigation District, Roseville Electric, Redding Electric Utility, Trinity Public Utility District and the City of Shasta Lake.
Imperial Irrigation District (IID) – covers nearly all of Imperial county along with parts of Riverside and San Diego counties.
Imperial Irrigation District Conserve Alert
System Alerts, Warnings and Emergencies
Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) – covers the City of Los Angeles and a portion of Inyo county.
PacifiCorp-West (PAC) – covers parts of Northern California along the Oregon border.
NV Energy (NEVP) – covers portions of Sierra, Nevada, Placer, El Dorado, Alpine, and Mono counties.
Turlock Irrigation District (TID) – covers a portion of Stanislaus and Merced counties and a tiny corner of Mariposa and Tuolumne counties.
Western Area Power Administration – Desert Southwest Region (WALC) – covers portions of Imperial, Riverside and San Bernardino counties along the Arizona border.
California Energy Commission map of balancing authority areas in California
Flex Alerts: A Flex Alert is a call for consumers to voluntarily conserve electricity when there is an anticipated shortage of energy supply, especially if the grid operator needs to use reserves to maintain grid integrity. When consumers reduce electricity use during a Flex Alert, it can prevent more dire emergency measures, including rotating power outages.
Rotating Outages: Balancing authority operators are always monitoring the grid to be sure there are enough resources, but sometimes they must order a reduction in load. To do this, they direct a specific quantity to utilties that will keep the grid in balance. Utilities follow their own established plans designed to reduce power consumption in the most strategic areas to relieve stress on the grid while limiting the outage to the shortest possible time for any one group of customers.
Learn more at California Independent System Operator (CAISO) What is a Flex Alert? and Rotating Power Outages Fact Sheet
Rotating Outages vs Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS)
Rotating outages are due to a supply and demand issue while PSPS are a wildfire mitigation measure to prevent electric infrastructure from sparking a wildfire.
California ISO FlexAlerts
FlexAlert Icon:
If RED a FlexAlert has been issued
Rotating Outage Information
The following utilities have publicly accessible pages providing information on rotating outages.
Investor Owned Utilities
Publicly Owned Utilities
US Energy Information Administration Data Feeds
Hourly Electric Grid Monitors
California Independent System Operator (CISO)
Balancing Authority of Northern California (BANC)
Imperial Irrigation District (IID)
Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LDWP)
Nevada Energy (NEVP)
PacifiCorp West (PACW)
Turlock Irrigation District (TID)
Western Area Power Administration – Desert Southwest Region (WALC)
Other Data Feeds
California ISO Information
Grid Emergencies History Report – Summary of Restricted Maintenance Operations, Flex Alerts, Transmission and Energy Emergencies Issued from May 2022 to Present