CA urgently needs energy affordability and reliability solutions

OPINION – California urgently needs solutions to our energy affordability and reliability crisis, especially as we approach summer and inevitable heat waves that drive up temperatures along with energy bills. Fortunately, a suite of bills rapidly advancing through the state legislature would go a long way towards solving problems of energy reliability, affordability and safety. They would do this by jumpstarting the deployment of critical new clean energy devices called grid enhancing technologies (GETs) and advanced conductors.

GETs are hardware and software enhancements to power line infrastructure that help utility operators use our grid in an optimal way. They act like traffic controllers, monitoring when a line is crowded or not, safe or in danger of overheating, etc. Some devices are so compact that they can fit in your hand. All are inexpensive to install, and they usually pay for themselves within a few months of operation.

SB 1006 by Senator Steve Padilla requires utilities to develop a strategic plan for implementing GETs.  The bill cuts the red tape and fiscal requirements because the burden rests entirely on utilities to self-implement these cost-saving measures, rather than a state agency like the CPUC. So the cost to taxpayers is minimal. AB 2779 by Assemblymember Cottie Petrie-Norris aims to expand research into the impact of GETs on energy bills and reliability by requiring the California ISO to report its findings.

Existing power lines can also be fitted out with advanced conductors, newer materials that more efficiently conduct electricity. AB 3246 by Assemblymember Garcia streamlines permitting for newer power line conductors, expected to increase grid capacity by 10 to 30 percent. That kind of additional capacity translates directly into savings for ratepayers as they are able to access cheaper, cleaner energy from the grid — something California struggles with.

Despite the state producing record amounts of clean energy, congestion on existing power lines often leads to curtailment of available energy. In 2022, a staggering 80% of grid curtailment was due to congestion, costing California over $680 million in wholesale energy costs. Implementing GETs could have reduced these losses by amping up the ability of the grid to transmit more clean energy.

To top off the money-saving benefits of GETs and advanced conductors, the clean energy those technologies deliver has never been less expensive. Recent analysis estimates the 2030 price of wind energy will drop by 25 percent and solar by 50 percent.

GETs can also save costs by acting as early warning systems to alert utility operators to potential power line sagging that could cause wildfires. PG&E has raised its rates twice this year to cover the millions of dollars the utility will spend on fire mitigation efforts like undergrounding power lines. GETs and advanced conductors are a proactive way to avoid these costs by redirecting power to lines that can handle it, not those prone to overheating.

The issue of making energy more reliable and affordable is solidly bipartisan, and these bills’ popularity with both parties makes that apparent. All have sailed through their first houses without a single “no” vote. And while this momentum is impressive, many popular bills die a quiet death. We must ensure that these bills make their way to a floor vote or risk California losing out on common sense solutions to our energy affordability crisis.

Passing SB 1006, AB 3246 and AB 2779 will ensure that ratepayers benefit from a more efficient and resilient energy grid. Missing this chance to enhance the reliability and efficiency of our energy system would be a massive loss that California cannot afford as power costs spike and climate change continues to threaten our state. Tell your legislators to pass the suite of transmission bills and unlock our grid!

John White is the Executive Director of the Center for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Technologies (CEERT).