News

WASHINGTON, DC, May 17, 2023 — Today the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) released its annual summer reliability assessment warning Western states that they are in for another summer of elevated risk of blackouts due to extreme heat in 2023. NERC issued a similar warning last May, before record heat waves strained energy supplies in Arizona, California, Colorado, Montana, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, and the Pacific Northwest in September.

The Sacramento Bee explores the importance of expanding California's grid, quoting Amisha Rai on how California lawmakers should act quickly to work with neighboring states.

Expanding California’s electricity grid to cooperate with neighboring states would bolster reliability and affordability while reducing carbon emissions, researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy concluded in a new report. The report released Monday said California would both maintain jurisdiction over energy rates and stay on track to meet its clean energy goals as nearby states such as Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon and Washington strive to meet theirs.

Assembly Bill 538 "jumpstarts" conversation around regional grid collaboration, with the potential to save hundreds of millions in energy costs

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Introduced by Assemblymember Chris Holden (AD41), Assembly Bill 538 would create a structure that would allow the California Independent System Operation (CAISO) to integrate into a broader, independent regional transmission operator (RTO). A 2022 economic development study commissioned by Advanced Energy United and conducted by Energy Strategies found that a transition like the one proposed in AB 538 could create over 138,000 jobs and save ratepayers $538 million per year in energy costs.

Joining a Western grid would keep the lights on during extreme weather while creating up to 138,700 jobs and annually reducing energy bills $563 million

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – A new study shows California would see significant economic benefits from participating in a regional electric grid with neighboring states. Conducted by independent consulting firm Energy Strategies on behalf of business association Advanced Energy United (formerly Advanced Energy Economy), the study found that joining a regional transmission organization (RTO) could generate upwards of $21.7 billion in new annual gross state product for California and up to 138,000 new, permanent, living-wage jobs. 

Canary Media detailed the need to strengthen the country’s electricity system, quoting Amisha Rai on how the US can build out its energy infrastructure. Read snippets below and the full article here. 

The grid may be the weakest link in the chain connecting the U.S. to a clean energy future. 

Joining a Western RTO would power economic growth and save residents millions in annual energy costs.

December 6, 2022 – Joining a Western RTO would create thousands of permanent jobs and save ratepayers millions of dollars in annual energy costs, according to new data from Advanced Energy Economy. The findings fromthree new state-specific reportsfor Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona are based on a recent west-wide analysis conducted by independent consulting firm Energy Strategies on behalf of AEE that examined the economic impact of establishing a regional power grid.

Utility Dive examined grid reliability issues popping up across the U.S., quoting Amisha Rai and Caitlin Marquis on regional and national solutions. Read snippets below and the full article here.

Power systems across the U.S. faced challenging grid reliability conditions over the past year, but managed to avoid the worst-case scenario of prolonged outages thanks to a combination of policy measures implemented over the last couple of years and luck, experts say.

E&E News covered new California legislation to explore the benefits of a Western RTO, quoting Amisha Rai on the need for a more interconnected grid. Read snippets below and the full article here.

California is exploring the proposed formation of a regional electric grid as governments and utilities across the West push for broader distribution of renewable resources...

Resolution from Assemblymember Holden lays the foundation for a better electric power grid for California and states across the West 

SACRAMENTO, August 11, 2022 — Today, national business group Advanced Energy Economy (AEE) celebrated the California Legislature’s passage of ACR 188, which kickstarts discussions about California’s role in improving the Western power grid in collaboration with other states in the region.  

This week, national business group Advanced Energy Economy (AEE) released new research into the economic development potential of establishing a regional transmission organization (RTO) to operate the power grid for Western states. The report, conducted by independent consulting firm Energy Strategies, finds that establishing an RTO for Western states would create as many as 657,000 permanent, high-paying jobs in the West. If you want to learn more, watch the press briefing here.