News: California suspends requirements that ships use shore power while at berth out of concerns for state's electricity grid

An Executive Order encourages ships at berth in Southern California not to connect to shore power due to local extreme heat event and added strain to the state electrical grid. The extreme heat event is forecast to last through to at least 20 August 2020 and has already caused multiple rolling electricity blackouts throughout the state.

The Order suspends through 11:59pm on 20 August 2020 any permit, regulation, or law prohibiting ships from using generators or auxiliary ship engines while at berth. A copy of the executive order is available in the attachment box.  

Thank you to our local correspondent David Tong of Peacock Piper Tong + Voss LLP for raising this to our attention.