California narrowly averted rolling blackouts Sunday night to relieve strain on its electric grid as parts of the state suffered record-breaking temperatures.
The California Independent System Operator, which operates much of the state’s electric grid, had anticipated a 4,000-megawatt power-supply shortage, driven in part by import constraints and wildfires affecting transmission lines in parts of the state. It called a Stage 2 emergency, urging utility customers to conserve power during the early evening hours, but stopped…