The Union of Concerned Scientists has been hearing from Western states grid fanatics since 2016. These funky folks have long touted the potential benefits of expanding California’s electricity markets to other western states, allowing California to import clean energy from states like Oregon and Washington and export some of the excess solar energy we generate here.
But since 2016, we have been Sabrina Carpenter in her billboard-topping hit Espresso and regionalized grid proponents have been stuck longing for our love.
They called, texted, and even invited us to tour the headquarters of California’s grid operator (CAISO). Despite all this, we just couldn’t relate to their desperation and our give-a-f… Well, the point is, we were not convinced and like Sabrina, we remained cooly and nonchalantly neutral on the issue. And like all super chill singers, we put out a nine-page policy brief explaining our cool nonchalant-ness.
But since 2016—and even since a more-recent attempt in 2023—Western Grid proponents have switched it up like a Nintendo and so have we. “Grid Regionalization” became the PATHWAYS initiative and is now Senate Bill 540 by Senator Josh Becker. And now we are thinking ‘bout its potential clean energy and cost saving benefits every night.
You may be asking yourself: is it that sweet? To which I say: I guess so (and I recommend you read this blog to find out why).
EDITOR’S NOTE: If you haven’t figured this out already, this blog will make more sense if you have listened to Espresso and/or are familiar with its lyrics.
Grid espresso
In theory, this grid regionalization has always made sense. California is marching towards 2045 when the state is supposed to be powered by 100% clean energy. With a regional market, California could take advantage of excess hydro in the Pacific Northwest or wind from Wyoming. Clean energy projects in these states could sell to California’s dense population and we could access affordable renewable energy throughout the region.
It is a win-win and to some extent, it is already happening. CAISO is currently part of a regional energy market that allows us to import and export electricity an hour (EIM) before we need it and is joining one that will let us plan these transactions a day ahead (EDAM). More fully integrating the western energy markets would allow California to plan well in advance to ensure grid reliability and cost effective, clean generation.
This would all help California keep the grid running all day and night on more clean energy—one could say that regional energy markets are that grid espresso.
Too bad your ex don’t do it for ya
If this is such a great idea, why hasn’t it happened yet? Well, previous proposals were like espresso in that they made our concerned scientists anxious and jittery. As the previous section outlined, this has always been a great idea in theory. In practice, however, there were a couple of uncertainties that kept us from jumping on board.
First, previous proposals would have dissolved the current, governor-appointed CAISO board (the agency that manages California’s grid) and aimed to replace it with a board that presumably would have included decisionmakers from other states. I say “presumably” because we didn’t know what was going to happen. So, we would have replaced a California-focused board with something else focused on interests beyond California.
The other concern was that there was no going back. If California didn’t like the governance of the new western grid operator (for example, if a few coal-loving states somehow weaseled their way into power) and we wanted to return to status quo, we couldn’t. There would be no CAISO-as-it-is to return to.
Brand-newed it for ya
How did the desperate, crazed grid-regionalization fanatics turn into cool, appealing Sabrina Carpenter? You guessed it, the PATHWAYs Initiative.
Since the last grid regionalization proposal, supporters, opponents and coolly casual concerned scientists throughout the western United States got together to hash this thing out once and for all. There had to be a way, we thought, for California to access the energetic benefits of a regional grid without dealing with the jittery and anxious uncertainty.
And it turns out, we were right. SB 540 is the legislative proposal that emerged from these extensive conversations.
Dream-come-trued-it for ya
PATHWAYS, and ultimately SB 540, has three major differences from previous regional grid proposals.
First, PATHWAYS allowed stakeholders throughout the west to talk about what the governance of a western grid would look like, so we are not going into this blind. Our Senior Western States Energy Manager, Mark Specht, wrote extensively about this in his recent blog and you can also read the 122-page proposal for yourself.
But I’m not a scientist (no offense) or lawyer (some offense), so I can do this in two sentences: The western energy market in this proposal has processes to include robust stakeholder engagement, including a consumer advocacy organization, in its decision making. The utilities who participate in the market would continue to be subject to their state regulations, meaning California can have faith that it will be able to enforce our renewable energy laws.
Second, SB 540 would not dissolve CAISO nor its governor-appointed board. The bill simply gives California permission to be a part of these western energy markets without giving up California authority of the other grid functions.
Finally, since CAISO will still exist if SB 540 passes, the bill is explicit that California can leave the western energy markets and return to the status quo.
Come and get this pollen
That admittedly uncomfortable header is directed at the California state legislature where SB 540 will be heard in the Senate Energy, Utilities, and Communications Committee in April. From there, it will move to the entire Senate, Assembly committees, the entire legislature and Governor Newsom’s desk.
If you’re a legislator, vote for SB 540. If you’re the governor, sign SB 540. If you’re a concerned citizen, call your legislators and let them know you support this proposal. If you know Sabrina Carpenter, ask her to share this blog on the social media of her choosing.
California legislature: Please, Please, Please pass SB 540.
This blog is part of the State of Science blog series. We will be posting California-focused, policy-relevant, science-informed, fun blogs regularly. Follow along here.
Editorial correction -4/1/25: a previous version of this blog noted that a hearing in the Senate Energy, Utilities, and Communications Committee would occur on April 7, but the hearing date was moved post-publication to a yet to be determined date in April.