CAISO OKs $6.7B, 38 projects, focus on load growth
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- CAISO Board of Governors approved the state's transmission plan in a 5‑0 vote, recommending utilities spend about $6.7 billion on 38 projects over the next decade.
- The plan shifts focus, with more than half of the projects driven by forecasted load growth rather than solely low‑cost renewable access.
- California forecasts a need for an additional 107 GW of installed capacity by 2040 to support electrification of buildings, transportation, manufacturing, and large loads, including data centers.
- The plan includes 12 reconductoring projects that boost capacity without new lines, three of which will use advanced conductors.
- Specific projects such as a 500 kV line from Trout Canyon to Lugo, an expanded 230 kV Tesla–Trimble–Metcalf corridor, and series compensation on the Gates‑to‑Los Banos corridor are highlighted.
- The Serrano‑Del Amo‑Mesa 500 kV reinforcement was cancelled, with reliability to be met by smaller upgrades and greater reliance on energy storage.
- Neil Millar (CAISO vice president of transmission planning) said the plan seeks to meet system needs in the most affordable way while accommodating new renewable resources.
Why it matters: Utilities and California’s grid will gain capacity to support an estimated 107 GW of new demand by 2040, while the cancellation of the Serrano‑Del Amo‑Mesa line saves costs and shifts reliability to smaller upgrades and storage, reducing overall spend and easing the financial burden on ratepayers.
