California Independent System Operator

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact:: Patrick Dorinson

January 12, 2001 Director of Communications

1 (888) 516-NEWS

CALIFORNIA ISO DECLARED STAGE THREE EMERGENCY OVERNIGHT FOR NORTHERN CALIFORNIA ONLY

(Folsom, CA) The California Independent System Operator (California ISO) declared a Northern California-only Stage Three Electrical Emergency today, January 12, 2001, from 12:00 a.m. through 3:00 a.m. this morning. This occurred when operating reserves were forecasted to fall below one-and-a-half percent because of inadequate resources. Hydroelectricity resources normally used overnight had been depleted during the earlier emergencies yesterday and water levels in Northern California reservoirs are running very low. The California-ISO was able to secure emergency resources, once the Stage Three was declared. California Department of Water Resources aqueduct pump load was shut down near Oroville to curtail power demand on the Grid. No rotating blackouts were issued and customers were not affected. Yesterday’s Stage One and StageTwo electrical emergencies were extended at midnight last night and they are in effect until 10:00 p.m. tonight. The California ISO does not expect to call on voluntary interruptible customers to manage the morning spike in electricity use that occurs between 6 and 9 a.m., but may need to ask for the interruptible load if conditions change. The ISO urges interruptible customers to wait to shed their contracted electrical load until specified to do so by their local utility

-- PHO (owennos@bigfoot.com), January 12, 2001