More blackouts were expected today. Energy officials said Monday's blackouts were a bad omen, given that temperatures in much of the state were not particularly high. California uses more electricity in the summer because air conditioners suck up large amounts of power. State officials warn that there will likely be numerous blackouts this summer, as electricity demand outstrips supplies by as much as 6,800 megawatts, or enough electricity for almost 7 million homes. The Independent System Operator, which manages California's electric grid, has already ordered blackouts on five days this year to save the system from breaking down.
Independent utilities implement the blackouts.
Dims the Lights, Please Rising power costs and the promise of outages have Californians asking what they can do themselves to get through the crisis. Calif. Rolling blackouts are particularly threatening to the ill and disabled, said Haan, who has done a brisk business with customers who rely on respirators or whose lives may depend on staying in touch with relatives or health-care providers. Some California residents recoil from their sharply higher electricity bills and conclude that they need is a new refrigerator. So far, retailers report none of the panic buying seen during the Y2K millennium scare. ABC News Internet Ventures.