California officials are urging berthed vessels to forego using shore power and rely on generators to reduce the load on the local electricity grid. The heightened use of air conditioning during the heatwave is taxing the electricity grid and causing a power shortage. The directive to not use shore power came from Governor Gavin Newsome and will apply to berthed vessels from September 3rd to September 7th.
The shore power regulations apply at the ports of Los Angeles, Long Beach, and Oakland. According to the regulations, 80% of cruise ships, refer vessels, and container vessels that berth at the mentioned ports must use shore power. The ships not equipped to use shore power can opt to use a capture and control technology, which involves placing a “bonnet” over the ship’s exhaust stacks to contain and treat harmful emissions.
The governor’s executive order states that the vessels have permission to unplug from shore power during this ongoing heat emergency. The order also advises the vessels to utilize auxiliary generators for powering onboard systems, such as computers, refrigerators, pumps, etc., during loading and unloading.
The California Independent System Operator predicts that the energy demand will soon exceed 47,000 MW. This will be the highest electricity demand since 2017. To make matters worse, a prolonged drought has hamstrung the state’s ability to generate hydroelectric power. The California government works on many other fronts to manage the power shortage crisis. The power stations are supposed to increase energy production using backup generators; meanwhile, Californians are to conserve energy, especially during the peak demand hours of 4 pm to 9 pm.
