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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. 

UtilityDive analyzed AEE's Western RTO Economic Impact Study, quoting AEE's Amisha Rai on RTO conversations with policymakers. Read snippets below and the full article here.

The creation of a West-wide regional transmission organization could generate between 159,000 and 657,000 permanent jobs through 2030, as well as up to $79.2 billion in additional gross regional product per year across the 11 Western states, according to a new report.

A Western RTO could save Western states $2 billion in annual energy savings

JULY 26, 2022 – A new report for national business association Advanced Energy Economy (AEE) by independent consulting firm Energy Strategies finds that establishing a Regional Transmission Organization (RTO) for Western states would create as many as 657,000 permanent, high-paying jobs in the West. The analysis, "Western RTO Economic Impact Study," also found that a Western RTO would diversify state economies and save ratepayers millions of dollars per year in energy costs.

An RTO is a cooperation agreement which allows electric utilities across multiple states to share resources and leverage the cheapest, cleanest, and most efficient energy sources through an organized regional market. Currently, the West is one of the only regions in the U.S. without an RTO managing its power grid.

The analysis found that every state in the Western region (Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming) could expect economic benefits from a West-wide RTO, driven by lower electricity prices for households and businesses, additional clean energy development across the region, and the expansion of existing, as well as attraction of new, businesses to the West.

WASHINGTON, D.C., April 21, 2022 – Today, national business group Advanced Energy Economy (AEE) reacted to California Independent System Operator's (CAISO) announcement that the Western Energy Imbalance Market (WEIM) has generated $2 billion in costs savings over the last eight years. 

S&P Global quoted AEE's Amisha Rai on Governor Newsom's $8 billion proposal for new investments in clean energy and transportation. Read snippets below and the full article here.

Gov. Gavin Newsom on Jan. 10 pitched more than $8 billion in new investments into clean energy and transportation as part of California's budget, citing the need to decarbonize the Golden State's economy and keep climate change in check while developing new business opportunities.