OROVILLE, Calif. — The Hyatt Power Plant at Lake Oroville has been taken offline due to low water levels in the lake, the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) reported Thursday.
John Yarbrough, DWR Assistant Deputy Director of the State Water Project, told ABC10 nearly two weeks ago that the Hyatt Power Plant would not be able to generate electricity to the state's power grid once Lake Oroville's water levels fall below about 630 feet.
This is the first time the plant has been forced to go offline due to low water levels.
“We have been in regular communication about the status of Hyatt [Power Plant] with the California Independent Service Operator (CAISO) and the California Energy Commission and steps have been taken in anticipation of the loss of power generation,” DWR Director Karla Nemeth said in a press release.
Nemeth said the DWR will focus on reservoir operations and water storage at the lake to preserve as much water in storage as possible. To that end, she said the DWR is calling on all California residents to reduce water usage by 15%,
“Falling reservoir levels are another example of why it is so critical that all Californians conserve water,” she said.
The DWR did not say how far below the 630-foot threshold Lake Oroville fell.
