CA Current

The grid operator’s newly approved budget for the coming year sets a revenue requirement of $193.5 million. It is 2 percent lower than the adopted requirement for 2018. At its final meeting of the year held Dec. 13, the California Independent System Operator’s board of governors also outlined goals for the coming year, particularly to […]

Updated Dec. 6. The U.S. Senate Dec. 6 confirmed Bernard McNamee to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on a 50-49 vote. McNamee’s nomination was controversial because of the role he played while at the U.S. Department of Energy, specifically entailing its proposal that FERC order subsidies for coal and nuclear power plants. McNamee “needs to […]

California’s grid operator during its annual stakeholder symposium in Sacramento envisioned a future filled with super-efficient autonomous electric vehicles, commonplace energy storage systems, an integrated western grid, and the chance that energy technologies yet unimagined will emerge. Speakers at the two-day California Independent System Operator meeting Oct. 17 and 18 also discussed how a rapidly […]

Pacific Gas & Electric asked federal energy regulators for a 9.5 percent increase in transmission fees, which would mark an increase from a projected $1.79 billion this year to a $1.96 transmission revenue requirement for 2019. The proposed increase to PG&E’s 2019 transmission rate case, made in an Oct. 1 filing to the Federal Energy […]

In an early look at how much SB 100 will raise electricity rates, preliminary modeling in support of Pasadena Water & Power’s upcoming integrated resource plan suggests moving to 100 percent clean energy may not cost that much. The modeling, according to an advisor to the muni, suggests the average $100 a month residential power […]

The California Public Utilities Commission Sept. 27 postponed deciding how to levy exit charges for electricity customers who depart utilities and move to community choice aggregators or direct access providers. The commission now is slated to vote on the so-called power charge indifference adjustment Oct. 11. Utility regulators, did, however, adopt on a 4-1 vote […]

The grid operator this week advanced its 2018-19 transmission planning process during a meeting slated for Sept. 20 and 21 that focused heavily on reliability analyses for the various regions of the state’s electrical system. The assessments, said Jeff Billinton, California Independent System Operator manager of regional transmission – north, are based on the California […]

As the deadline for voting on legislation to allow California’s grid to become a regional entity gets closer, debate rages on as to whether it would be a boom or bust. A report released July 17, favoring removing barriers to establishing a Western Independent System Operator, warns of the inherent complexities of the legislation, AB […]

SoCal Gas showcased a new solar-powered hydrogen generation system May 17. It uses sunlight to convert natural gas and water into hydrogen and capture the carbon dioxide to prevent carbon emissions. The project is a partnership between SoCal Gas, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and the STARS Corp. The solar advanced reactor system “produces hydrogen through […]

Lawmakers May 10 heard various ideas about how to increase the efficiency and reduce the cost of transmission projects across the U.S. in response to a changing energy industry. Strategies ranged from shrinking to expanding the federal transmission planning process. Former Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Member Tony Clark said at a House Energy & Commerce […]

Though power demand will be about the same this summer as last, California’s grid operator warns that electricity supplies will be diminished due to lower levels of hydropower production after a dry winter and the retirement of natural gas power plants. The California Independent System Operator May 9 forecasted a 50 percent chance of a […]

In the midst of related proceedings, California utility regulators called for a statewide conversation about the future structure and regulation of the power industry May 3. They continued to warn about the proliferation of customer-owned solar systems, community choice aggregation, and other developments that threaten to destabilize traditional utilities and electric grid reliability in California. […]

Federal regulators May 1 heard conflicting views about whether California’s investor-owned utilities have been unfairly skirting review requirements for major investments in their power transmission lines, which may be driving up electricity costs. “Ratepayers are paying significant amounts of money for expenditures with no review whatsoever,” Katharine Mapes, Northern California Power Agency attorney, complained to […]

A transmission line upgrade to serve the constrained Moorpark area came under fire just before it was approved by the grid operator as part of its 2017-18 transmission plan. Critics expressed doubts over whether the new line actually would improve reliability in Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties. NRG Market Affairs Director Brian Theaker said the […]

As the state faces up to the loss of power that closing Pacific Gas & Electric’s 2,200 MW Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant will create come the middle of the next decade, the California Energy Commission is eyeing areas offshore of the plant as potential candidates for placing wind power facilities. During a March 12 […]

The California Energy Commission staff held a Feb. 27  workshop on its emerging grant program for renewable energy projects for the agricultural industry. Eligibility for the $6 million in competitive grants, funded by the state’s carbon cap-and-trade auctions, includes renewable projects on farm land, including areas used for growing cannabis. This CEC grant program “is being […]

A 600 MW transmission project in the San Joaquin Valley to begin service in 2023 to power water pumping in this region from the large federal Central Valley Water Project was announced Jan. 31. This San Luis Transmission Project is being developed jointly by the Western Area Power Administration, the San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water […]

The California grid operator plans to begin providing reliability coordination services in its territory and potentially to other interested balancing authorities in the western U.S. beginning in late 2019. The California Independent System Operator announced its plan Jan. 2 in response to the expected departure of Mountain West Transmission Group from Peak Reliability and the […]

The grid operator’s board Dec. 14 approved allowing more flexible resources to come online soon after unexpected transmission disruptions. The newly approved modeling enhancement at issue also would increase the compensation paid to resources that come online quickly to rebalance the system. “This has the potential to increase reliability and reduce costs,” said Eric Hildebrandt, […]

While California Independent System Operator efforts to formally expand into a western-wide grid manager largely have been hamstrung by governance issues, a new entity is exploring launching a western transmission organization. It would compete with possible CAISO and Southwest Power Pool expansions. At the end of last week, Peak Reliability, the reliability coordinator for the […]