The power grid is going through a transformation as states and utilities strive to achieve clean electricity goals.
Expanding the California grid operator into one that manages the power grid throughout the West could help California and the rest of the West meet their clean electricity benchmarks.
A western grid operator could improve access to renewable energy, bolster grid reliability, and coordinate transmission system planning, thereby reducing overall costs and global warming emissions. However, multiple risks and uncertainties come with expanding California’s grid operator into a regional one.
Ultimately, California policymakers must weigh the benefits against the risks as they set the course for the state’s power grid.
On this topic
Regional transmission organizations
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Citation
Specht, Mark and Vivian Yang. 2023. Transforming the Western Power Grid: California Implications of Grid Regionalization Cambridge, MA: Union of Concerned Scientists. https://www.ucsusa.org/resources/transforming-western-power-grid
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