Clean energy advocates show support at the California Senate Energy Utilities and Communications Committee

SACRAMENTO, CA—Today, the California Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee held an informational hearing on the West-Wide Governance Pathways Initiative. During the hearing, policymakers heard a broad range of perspectives from California stakeholders on the creation of a new regional organization to oversee energy market functions.   

State regulators, environmental organizations, organized labor, municipal utilities, and others emphasized that establishing an independent regional organization to oversee energy markets in the West will increase grid reliability, lower costs for ratepayers, and accelerate the deployment of all clean energy resources across the state, including distributed energy resources (DERs). Supporters also noted that the initiative, along with its enabling legislation, Senate Bill (SB) 540 (Becker, Stern), will provide the governance framework needed to create a more affordable, reliable, and resilient energy market in California.  

National business association Advanced Energy United, which represents DER companies, as well as independent power producers and large energy customers, issued a statement in support of the initiative, highlighting its potential to accelerate clean energy growth, improve grid stability, and provide economic benefits for California consumers.  

“In addition to being vital for energy affordability and reliability, the Pathways Initiative and SB 540 would open up critical markets for California clean energy, including distributed energy resources (DERs) and virtual power plants, supporting these important California industries,” said Edson Perez, California policy lead at Advanced Energy United. “The choice for California is clear. Doing nothing will increase costs to ratepayers and moving ahead with the Pathways Initiative will save ratepayers millions, make the grid more reliable, and create jobs in California’s clean energy industry.”  

The clean energy business community urges policymakers to advance Senate Bill 540 and continue fostering policies that ensure an affordable, clean, resilient, efficient, and affordable electricity market in the West.