San Diego blackout averted as key line returns

By Bernie Woodall

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - California wildfires created an electricity "island" of San Diego County on Wednesday but a major blackout was averted when a key power transmission line to Arizona resumed operation in the afternoon, San Diego Gas & Electric Co. said.

The Southwest Powerlink is one of two major transmission corridors that connect San Diego County to the U.S. West power grid. It had been out of service since Sunday when wildfires approached it.

The other major link in the north part of the SDG&E service territory ceased operation about the same time the Southwest Powerlink restarted, said Rachel Laing, spokeswoman for SDG&E. It was back in operation by early Wednesday evening.

"For the moment, it looks like crisis averted," Laing said.

SDG&E and the manager of the state power grid were still asking consumers to conserve power because the Southwest Powerlink is not yet up to full electricity flow rates and wildfires remained unpredictable and could imperil power lines again.

"The winds are cooperating a little better at least with regard with the fires that are burning near our transmission lines," said Stephanie McCorkle of the California Independent System Operator, which manages the grid that handled 80 percent of California's electricity.

Four days of wildfires have caused the largest evacuation in California's history.

California had the most transmission lines out of service on Wednesday than ever before, said McCorkle.