California ISO: No Summer Blackouts

From the Associated Press:

Californians are headed toward summer with more than enough electricity to prevent blackouts, state energy officials explained Thursday, saying that consumer conservation represents a key part of their assessment.

"We believe we have enough power to keep the lights on and the air conditioners humming," said Ken Wiseman, chairman of the California Independent System Operator, which manages the state's 25,000 miles of high-voltage electrical lines.

Though statewide energy demands are expected to hit new records this year, Wiseman and other officials cited additional power generation, new transmission line capacity and a growing statewide conservation ethic as reasons for optimism about energy supplies. But they also warned that prolonged outbreaks of hot weather could leave power reserves thin, especially in Southern California.