NewsCalifornia News

California tests off-the-grid solutions to power outages

Power Outages Microgrids
Add KERO as a Google Preferred Source

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A cycle of extreme heat, drought and wildfires is threatening California's power supply.

In the past two years, windstorms led utilities to deliberately shut off power to wide swaths of the state to lower the risk of power lines igniting wildfires. The state last summer ran out of energy when an oppressive heat wave triggered the first rolling blackout in 20 years.

To improve energy resilience, utilities and small communities are installing microgrids that can disconnect from the larger electrical grid and switch to using solar energy generated and stored locally.

Other tactics include increased electricity costs during high-demand hours and energy conservation incentives when the grid is strained.

Bakersfield, CA

Weather

Daily Forecast

View Hourly Forecast

Day

Conditions

HI / LO

Precip

SundaySun

11/01/2026

AM Light Rain

62° / 49°

85%

MondayMon

11/02/2026

Partly Cloudy

68° / 51°

4%

TuesdayTue

11/03/2026

Partly Cloudy

71° / 51°

10%

WednesdayWed

11/04/2026

Mostly Sunny

67° / 49°

6%

ThursdayThu

11/05/2026

Partly Cloudy

70° / 49°

5%

FridayFri

11/06/2026

Sunny

72° / 49°

5%

SaturdaySat

11/07/2026

Sunny

75° / 52°

1%

SundaySun

11/08/2026

Partly Cloudy

77° / 53°

0%