Statewide Partnership Aims to Deliver More Clean Energy Faster to Californians and Support State Climate Goals

Rhea-AI Summary

A statewide partnership, including CEC, CPUC, CAISO, PG&E, SCE, and UC Berkeley, has applied for a $2 billion DOE grant to increase grid capacity and renewable energy in California. The project aims to lower costs for customers, boost supply, reduce renewable curtailment, streamline renewable energy project interconnection, support workforce development, and enhance energy education.

Positive

• The project aims to increase statewide electric transmission capacity, reducing renewable curtailment and lowering costs for customers.
• Advanced technology solutions, such as upgrading powerlines with advanced conductors and using grid enhancing technologies, will improve grid capacity and reduce congestion.
• The project will support workforce development and energy education programs to unlock the potential of local students and facilitate access to union jobs with family-sustaining compensation.
• The grant application for $2 billion is the largest in state history and part of the DOE's GRIP Program, administering $10.5 billion in grants to enhance grid flexibility and resilience.
• The project will have an economic impact of $1.4 billion on disadvantaged communities.

Negative

• None.

CEC, CPUC, CAISO, PG&E, SCE and UC Berkeley Apply for $2 Billion DOE Grant to Increase Grid Capacity and Renewable Energy While Lowering Costs for Customers

OAKLAND, Calif. and ROSEMEAD, Calif., April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- In a joint effort to deliver more clean energy at a lower cost to customers, the California Energy Commission (CEC), California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), California Independent System Operator (CAISO), Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), Southern California Edison (SCE), and the University of California, Berkeley Energy Institute at Haas submitted a grant application for $2 billion to the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) Program – the largest such application in state history.

The project, called California Harnessing Advanced Reliable Grid Enhancing Technologies for Transmission (CHARGE 2T), would deliver these customer benefits:

• Increase statewide electric transmission capacity, which will boost supply, reducing renewable curtailment and reducing costs incurred when there is not sufficient capacity, known as congestion, which would lower costs to customers;
• Improve technologies and coordination to streamline the process for renewable energy projects to interconnect to the grid;
• Support workforce development through programs that facilitate access to union jobs with family-sustaining compensation; and
• Improve energy education beginning in middle school through high school, community college, four-year degree programs and graduate research, unlocking the potential of  local students.

The DOE's GRIP Program is administering $10.5 billion in grants to enhance grid flexibility and improve resilience of the power system against growing threats of extreme weather and climate change. If approved, the matching grant would provide $1 billion.

"This funding will continue to advance grid-enhancing technologies for the state's transmission planning process as we work toward 100 percent clean electricity," said California Energy Commission Chair David Hochschild. "These promising innovations can help lower costs for Californians through greater efficiency that lets us get more out of our shared system."

"Our changing climate demands new thinking, innovation and investment to decarbonize our economy at the lowest societal cost. We're proud to be part of this public-private partnership to build the clean, climate-resilient energy system necessary to meet our customers' future needs," said Patti Poppe, Chief Executive Officer, PG&E Corporation.

"As the clean energy transition accelerates, we must maintain a reliable, resilient and ready electric grid for what's ahead – especially the state's transmission system, which is challenging due to lengthy siting and permitting processes," said Steve Powell, President and CEO of Southern California Edison. "This project will help California take aggressive action against climate change, drive economic growth and make costs more affordable for customers."

Advancing Technology Solutions

The project would upgrade over 400 miles of steel powerlines across the CAISO system, which serves 30 million people, with advanced conductors that contain carbon fiber and/or composite cores that allow lines to carry more capacity. It would also use grid enhancing technologies (GETs) to reduce congestion. Together, the economic impact to disadvantaged communities is estimated at $1.4 billion. The work would directly support about 1,000 IBEW and ESC union jobs, as well as approximately 20,000 indirect jobs throughout the project's lifecycle.

The grant also would fund technology and process improvements to enhance renewable energy interconnection, adding more clean energy to serve customers and help meet the state's bold clean energy goals.

Fueling Economic Growth through Workforce Development

Additionally, CHARGE 2T would help fund energy education and training programs supporting over 350,000 middle and high-school students, as well as community colleges and universities to develop a pipeline of future power engineers.

These programs will focus on disadvantaged communities and provide mentoring, internships and counseling for students at Title 1 schools, as well as later job training, apprenticeships, and scholarships. Programs would also support mid-career changes, and training developed with unions to help fuel economic development in the state.

About PG&E
Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation (NYSE: PCG), is a combined natural gas and electric utility serving more than sixteen million people across 70,000 square miles in Northern and Central California. For more information, visit pge.com and pge.com/news  

About Southern California Edison
An Edison International (NYSE: EIX) company, Southern California Edison is one of the nation's largest electric utilities, serving a population of approximately 15 million via 5 million customer accounts in a 50,000-square-mile service area within Central, Coastal and Southern California.

About the University of California, Berkeley Energy Institute at Haas  
The University of California, Berkeley Energy Institute at Haas helps create a more economically and environmentally sustainable energy future through research, teaching and policy engagement. 

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SOURCE Pacific Gas and Electric Company

FAQ

What is the purpose of the $2 billion DOE grant application by the statewide partnership involving CEC, CPUC, CAISO, PG&E, SCE, and UC Berkeley?

The grant aims to increase grid capacity, boost supply, reduce renewable curtailment, streamline renewable energy project interconnection, support workforce development, and enhance energy education in California.

How will the project lower costs for customers?

The project will increase statewide electric transmission capacity, reducing costs incurred due to insufficient capacity (congestion) and improving grid efficiency.

What technology solutions will be implemented in the project?

The project will upgrade powerlines with advanced conductors containing carbon fiber and/or composite cores, and use grid enhancing technologies to reduce congestion.

What is the economic impact of the project on disadvantaged communities?

The project is estimated to have an economic impact of $1.4 billion on disadvantaged communities.

How will the project support workforce development?

The project will facilitate access to union jobs with family-sustaining compensation, supporting workforce development in California.