The California Public Utilities Commission today ordered Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric to procure energy supplies to meet Southern California power needs to make up for the loss of the retired San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station.
SCE was ordered to acquire between 500 and 700 megawatts, and SDG&E between 500 and 800 megawatts by 2022 to meet local capacity needs. The power should include renewable energy, according to the CPUC.
“This action helps us move forward in meeting the electricity needs of Southern California now that the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station is permanently closed,” CPUC President Michael Peevey said. “Our combination of preferred resources and some more conventional generation will help in making a more secure energy future for Southern California consumers.”
Commissioner Mike Florio said the utilities and commission will work together to ensure the renewable energy will not only add capacity but reliability.
According to the CPUC, the commission decided previously that it was not feasible to rely solely on renewable resources to meet local energy needs, so conventional gas-fired resources must also be used to ensure reliability.
The agency said it plans to “continue pursuing preferred resources to the greatest extent possible, but must always ensure that grid operations are not potentially compromised by excessive reliance on intermittent resources and resources with uncertain ability to meet need.”
–City News Service
