California’s Clean Energy Mandate: Time for Immediate Implementation
In the year 2023, California has experienced its fair share of setbacks in the realm of clean energy. Communities in Southern California were dismayed when the closure of three polluting gas plants, initially promised, was extended for an additional three years. This extension was primarily attributed to the perceived lack of sufficient clean energy resources by state agencies to replace these plants. Moreover, the state made the contentious decision to increase gas storage to full capacity at the infamous Aliso Canyon facility operated by SoCalGas. Once again, this action was justified by the state’s expressed concerns about the inadequacy of available clean energy alternatives.
However, it is imperative that 2023 marks the end of excuses and delays when it comes to fulfilling commitments to retire outdated gas power plants and address leaky storage facilities. Governor Newsom has set forth ambitious objectives for California’s clean energy generation and outlined a clear path to achieving zero emissions. Yet, with the urgent need to bring tens of thousands of megawatts of clean energy resources online quickly, including solar, offshore wind, geothermal, and battery storage, California cannot afford to be hindered by transmission limitations. To translate these clean energy goals into reality, we are calling on Governor Newsom to endorse SB 619.
Over the next decade and beyond, California must connect approximately 7,000 MW of clean energy to the grid annually to power homes, buildings, and service providers across the state. Achieving this requires a significant overhaul of our aging energy grid, which is more than four decades old. Fortunately, the California Independent System Operator has already initiated new transmission projects to facilitate the transportation of this energy across the state. An astounding 530,000 MW of interconnection projects are in the pipeline to link with the California grid.
Investment initiatives are underway to lay a subsea cable originating near the Diablo Canyon nuclear plant in San Luis Obispo County, which will extend to a landing site near LAX, where a converter station will be constructed. However, to further diminish our reliance on gas plants in Southern California, we must establish additional high-voltage transmission lines from the south through Imperial and San Diego Counties and from the east through Riverside and San Bernardino Counties.
