State Senator Henry Stern announced a legislative proposal to accelerate a new round of clean energy storage projects in Southern California.

In response to the Aliso Canyon gas blowout in Porter Ranch, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) expedited the approval and construction of about 100 MW of clean energy storage projects in Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric territories.

“Last year’s build-out of local, clean energy storage projects was completed in record time and under budget. There’s no reason we shouldn’t double down. We must pivot from the Porter Ranch crisis to a cleaner, safer, more affordable energy grid that benefits all Southern California ratepayers,” remarked Senator Stern.

Stern’s proposal would establish a framework for expediting another 120 MW of Southern California clean storage projects in both investor-owned and municipal utility territories in the next year.

The increase in number of projects will provide energy reliability to the region while diversifying energy needs and ensuring safety in our communities. The rapid installation of 100 MW of storage over the last six months has proven that clean energy storage alternatives can be brought online to provide grid capacity more quickly, cheaply and with less air pollution than traditional sources of grid reliability, such as gas-fired peaker plants or diesel generators.

“California has historically been reliant on natural gas, and energy storage provides an ideal pathway forward for diversifying our resources and utilizing abundant local renewable energy as a cost-competitive alternative to natural gas.” said Janice Lin, Executive Director of the California Energy Storage Alliance (CESA). “We applaud Senator Stern’s initiative to create a more reliable, secure grid that can safely and cleanly be installed in our communities.”

Mitchell Englander, member of the LA City Council that oversees the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) vowed to work with Stern to implement the proposal in DWP territory. “With ever-expanding innovations in clean renewable energy and safe storage technology,” Englander noted, “we must move to immediately end our dependency on antiquated facilities like Aliso Canyon.”

Senator Stern will tour one of these alternative clean storage sites in Ontario, CA today, where Tesla Motors is unveiling the world’s largest lithium ion battery storage project.

“More clean energy storage in our system will reduce risks not just to North San Fernando Valley residents living in the shadow of Aliso Canyon, but to all ratepayers in Southern California who will benefit from a more resilient, diverse, and cleaner grid,” remarked Stern.

Monday, January 30, 10:00 am, Ontario, CA – Opening of the world’s largest operating lithium ion storage project at Tesla Mira Loma Substation, 13568 Hammer Ave.

Monday, January 30, 1:45 pm, Los Angeles, CA – CPUC to discuss groundbreaking energy storage progress to ensure reliability in Southern California.

Wednesday Feb 1 and Thursday Feb 2, a public meeting with state regulators to discuss the proposal to re-open Aliso Canyon is scheduled from 5:30-9 p.m. at the Hilton in Woodland Hills. All residents may attend or submit your opinion in advance. More information on Dept. website http://www.conservation.ca.gov/.