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Navigating Ratepayer Concerns in Achieving Clean Energy Objectives
On Thursday, the California Legislature granted approval to Governor Gavin Newsom’s administration to purchase substantial quantities of electricity. This move is aimed at preventing power outages by bolstering the state’s energy supply while simultaneously kickstarting the emerging offshore wind industry on the West Coast.
Last year, five companies paid approximately $750 million to lease areas off the California coast for the construction of wind turbines. Together, these projects have the potential to generate enough electricity to power 3.5 million homes, providing a crucial buffer against blackouts during intense heatwaves that have regularly strained the electrical grid of the nation’s most populous state.
However, the state’s major utility companies have been hesitant to commit to buying power from these projects due to the high costs and the extensive timeline required for construction. In addition to erecting wind turbines, these projects entail upgrades to the state’s ports and the installation of new power lines for transmitting energy from the ocean to the mainland.
Alex Jackson, the director of the American Clean Power Association, which represents the companies behind these wind projects, emphasized the significance of these investments, calling them a generational necessity. Without greater certainty, there’s a risk that these investments may not materialize.
The proposed legislation would empower the state to purchase the generated power, with the funding coming from a surcharge added to Californians’ electricity bills. The exact surcharge amount would be determined by state regulators, and consumers would only be required to pay it once the wind projects are operational, which is likely several years in the future. It’s worth noting that California already has some of the highest electricity rates in the nation.
Republican state Senator Brian Dahle, who opposes the bill, expressed concerns that it would result in every ratepayer in California, regardless of their location, bearing the financial burden.
Supporters of the bill contend that it will ultimately lead to cost savings on electric bills in the long term. California has a mandate to source all of its electricity from renewable or non-carbon sources by 2045. To achieve this goal, advocates argue that the state must invest in offshore wind projects, which tend to produce the most power at night when solar energy is less abundant.
Furthermore, supporters argue that it would be more efficient for these offshore wind projects to sell all their electricity to the state rather than distributing it to multiple utility companies, a move that could help control costs and keep rates affordable.
“The primary concern jeopardizing our ability to achieve our climate objectives by 2045 is the impact on ratepayers,” emphasized Scott Wetch, a lobbyist representing various construction trade associations, during a recent public hearing. He stressed that the bill in question is the sole means to reduce costs on these extensive, intricate, and time-consuming projects, thereby mitigating the financial burden on ratepayers.
The bill grants the Department of Water Resources the power to procure electricity, but with a specified expiration date in 2035. Extending this authority would necessitate additional legislative approval.
In recent years, California has made swift strides towards ending its reliance on fossil fuels. State regulators have endorsed regulations aiming to phase out the sale of most new gasoline-powered vehicles by 2035. However, the state has encountered challenges in upholding its commitment to clean energy during this transition.
In 2020, an extreme heatwave overwhelmed the state’s power grid, resulting in hours of power outages for hundreds of thousands of households over two days. Subsequent heatwaves in following summers prompted regulators to request energy conservation during peak evening demand.
To address these issues, Governor Newsom and the state Legislature allocated $3.3 billion towards establishing a “strategic reliability reserve.” This reserve included the acquisition of diesel-powered generators and the extension of the operational life of certain gas-fired power plants that were scheduled for retirement.
During a recent public hearing on the bill, Democratic state Senator Henry Stern expressed reservations about the effectiveness of the state’s energy strategy, given ongoing developments in energy policy.
State law mandates that utility companies must maintain sufficient energy reserves to meet demand. Failure to do so would result in penalties under the proposed bill. The Newsom administration asserts that this approach will discourage excessive reliance on the strategic reliability reserve, which employs gas-powered generators with environmental concerns.
Alice Reynolds, president of the California Public Utilities Commission, reported that the state has completed over 100 projects in the past three years, adding 9,000 megawatts of new clean energy. The bill approved by lawmakers on Wednesday also includes provisions to expedite the implementation of new electric transmission projects.
“We must act swiftly and engage all available resources to address these challenges,” emphasized Reynolds.
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