SACRAMENTO, CA—Californians voted to pass Proposition 4, the Climate Bond, in response to the increasing threat of wildfires, water pollution, and extreme heat. The measure is designed to advance clean energy, ensure access to clean drinking water, and support environmental protection programs that will bolster community resiliency and response time from these climate-related disasters.  

National business association Advanced Energy United (United) worked with the California legislature to ensure the bond included $325M in funding for clean energy transmission projects, prioritizing reconductoring and other grid-enhancing technologies, and $50M in funding for distrusted energy resources, including virtual power plants and demand-side grid support.   

“We are thrilled to see Californians committed to investing in long-term solutions for a healthier, cleaner, and safer state for future generations,” said Edson Perez, United’s California policy lead. “Upgrading transmission projects and investing in distributed energy resources will reap massive electricity affordability benefits and make our grid more reliable. These advanced energy technologies are key to increasing the efficiency of our electricity grid, helping meet rising power demand, and saving ratepayer dollars.” 

United congratulates all of the newly elected legislators and looks forward to collaborating on developing solutions that enable California to meet its growing energy demands while minimizing rate impacts so we can keep the lights on without breaking the bank.