California Grid Manager Foresees $7B in Upgrades in Next Decade
Source: The San Diego Tribune |By Rob Nikolewski
A draft proposal from the California Independent Systems Operator, which manages most of the state’s power grid, recommends $7 billion in transmission build-outs over the next decade to help the Golden State achieve its clean energy goals and meet growing demand for electricity. The plan recommends 38 transmission upgrades to allow the grid to handle increased load growth over the next 10 years — driven in large part by data centers for artificial intelligence, the electrification of buildings and further adoption of electric vehicles in the transportation sector.
Mark Toney, executive director of the Utility Reform Network, a consumer advocacy group based in Oakland, fears the $7 billion figure “could be a low-ball estimate” compared to what the proposed upgrades will eventually cost. “We’re worried that the affordability crisis is going to get worse, not better,” Toney said.
