California Declares ‘Energy Emergency Alert’; Turns to Natural Gas Backup

California officials declared an “Energy Emergency Alert” on Monday as the state ran out of power supplies and was forced to activate four backup plants powered by natural gas.

The California Independent System Operator (ISO) had already issued a “Flex Alert” for the fifth day in a row, as the state struggled to keep up with energy demand in a heat wave. But on Monday, officials declared an energy emergency to prevent potential blackouts — and then extended it:

Officials encouraged consumers to avoid using unnecessary electric appliances and to refrain from charging electric vehicles — virtually the only passenger vehicles California will allow residents to buy, as of 2035, according to new regulations approved just last month.

Rolling blackouts, thought to be a Third World phenomenon, are a possibility in California due to the state’s rush to renewable energy sources like solar and wind power, and its abandonment of natural gas and nuclear power. Yet renewables cannot meet the state’s basic needs on their own — and have struggled repeatedly during late summer heat waves.

But in a crisis, California still draws on fossil fuels. On Monday, the state activated four temporary electricity generators, powered by natural gas:

At least one former California resident saw an opportunity in California’s energy crisis:

Elon Musk, who leads Tesla and SpaceX, has moved to Texas.

Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News and the host of Breitbart News Sunday on Sirius XM Patriot on Sunday evenings from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET (4 p.m. to 7 p.m. PT). He is the author of the recent e-book, Neither Free nor Fair: The 2020 U.S. Presidential Election. His recent book, RED NOVEMBER, tells the story of the 2020 Democratic presidential primary from a conservative perspective. He is a winner of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak.