New California transmission plan to bring 40 GW of renewables, storage

May 22 (Renewables Now) - The California Independent System Operator (CAISO) has given the thumbs up to a USD-7.3-billion (EUR 6.75bn) power transmission plan that will back the deployment of over 40 GW of renewable and battery storage projects in a decade.

A total of 45 projects for transmission system expansion and upgrades are included in the 2022-2023 plan presented last Thursday. The bulk of the identified schemes will be installed in California and some are located in neighbouring Arizona.

According to CAISO, the transmission plan will enable the integration of 17 GW of solar, 8 GW of wind, of which 4.5 GW is to be imported from Idaho, Wyoming and New Mexico, as well as 1 GW of geothermal and some battery energy storage capacity into the grid. All of these have been identified as cost-effective and needed to meet the state’s clean energy goals over the next 10 years.

"With electrification increasing in other sectors of the economy, most notably transportation and the building industry, even more new power will be required in the years ahead," CAISO said.

The electric grid operator noted it plans to give priority to interconnection proposals sited within the designated geographic zones so as to “make the most economic and operational sense.”

CAISO expects next year’s transmission plan to involve the addition of 70 GW of new capacity by 2033 that could reach 120 GW as California works to meet its goal of having a carbon-free power system by 2045.

(USD 1.0 = EUR 0.924)