[sampo]

> California's Battery Array Is as Powerful as 12 Nuclear Power Plants

From this graph we see that in the evening when solar power goes out, for next 3 hours (7 pm to 10 pm) California's battery array is as powerful as 12 nuclear reactors. Then the batteries are drained empty, and the rest of the night California survives by importing electricity from other states. And partially by running hydro power only during the nights, keeping it at zero during the day.

https://www.gridstatus.io/live/caiso?date=2026-05-15

[ZeroGravitas]

The net storage graph clearly shows they aren't drained empty after 3 hours. They keep their remaining charge for the more expensive morning peak rather than compete with cheap imports overnight (there's a graph showing the cost over the time range too).

[sampo]

Good point, and good financial strategy. But the morning discharge seems to be about 5%–7% of the evening discharge, so I assume the batteries near empty.

[ViewTrick1002]

It is a direct correlation with the electricity price. As the evening peak is saturated the morning peak will follow. Followed by the night.