Several days of power outages are anticipated to take place throughout Southern California this summer as a result of the Aliso Canyon gas leak in Porter Ranch, and Santa Clarita residents could be affected, officials said.

Because the AIiso Canyon storage facility was left at only one-fifth of its capacity following the leak, blackouts could affect customers in Los Angeles, Riverside, Orange and San Diego counties, according to a recent report from the California Public Utilities Commission, California Energy Commission, the California Independent System Operator and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.

According to the report, Southern California Edison customers could face up to 14 days of power outages this summer and 32 days of outages throughout the year.

“Southern California Edison will do everything we can to minimize the impact of natural gas storage issues on the reliable delivery of power for our customers,” said Colin Cushnie, vice president of Energy Procurement and Management.

He continued, “We will expand customer programs to reduce the use of electricity when needed. Customers can help the situation too by participating in these programs. We also are exploring contracts for electricity resources outside of Southern California.”

Energy use is typically at its highest during July, August and September, Cushnie said.

Edison customers can help curb the possibility of blackouts by reducing energy consumption during peak summer months.

“Customers can always assist us in these situations,” Cushnie said.

Energy consumers can reduce their usage by using fans, setting their thermostat at 78 degrees when at home, using a microwave instead of a stove or oven and making sure their air conditioning is properly serviced by having their filters checked to ensure proper air flow.   

The Aliso Canyon facility has operated as a critical part of the natural gas distribution system in the Los Angeles region and provides gas to 11 million customers for home heating, hot water and cooking fuel, according to the report.   

There is also concern that the reduced amount of natural gas storage could lead to higher costs for customers.

An action plan devised to curb the possibility of blackouts focuses on 18 specific measures that fall into five categories: Prudent Aliso Canyon use, tariff changes, operational coordination, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power flexibility and reduced natural gas and electricity use.

Aliso Canyon is currently prohibited from storing any more gas until a safety review of the facility’s wells is completed.

“We have said all along that we will not reopen Aliso Canyon until we are confident it is safe to operate,” said SoCalGas Chief Operating Officer Bret Lane. “Following both the spirit and letter of new guidelines established by the state, we have started work that should allow us to partially restore operations at the field by the end of summer.”

SoCalGas’ plan to safely bring the Aliso Canyon storage facility back to normal operation is set to be carried out in three phases.

Phase 1:

-Every active well at the Aliso Canyon  storage facility will undergo diagnostic noise and     temperature testing.

-The data from each of these tests will be reviewed and confirmed by the Division of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resources.

Phase 2:

-Based on the outcome of diagnostic testing in Phase One, wells will either be temporarily taken off-line and isolated from the underground reservoir or undergo a battery of four additional diagnostic tests to determine if they are safe to operate.

Phase 3:

–After every well has successfully completed these two phases, DOGGR will confirm the field can be safely put back into operation. In concert with DOGGR, the executive director of the California Public Utilities Commission must also make a determination about whether the field is safe to operate.

“We encourage the state regulatory agencies, legislators, and SoCalGas to work with impacted stakeholders to urgently evaluate the possibility of phasing-in the safe operation of those wells that are deemed safe by the Division of Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Resources and independent experts,” said Southern California Public Power Authority officials.

“Further evaluation may determine that this approach supports the highest priority of ensuring public safety – both safety for local residents near the facility and safety concerns associated with impacting power supply reliability for the broader region this summer and beyond.”