The largest tech companies recently signed President Trump's "Ratepayer Protection Pledge" and committed to covering all incremental electric grid costs for their data centers. Meanwhile, these companies are opposing CA legislation (SB 886) that would enforce this pledge. Hypocrisy at its finest.

Trump expands a voluntary pledge to protect consumers from high utility bills from AI data centers

President Donald Trump is having governors and electricity companies join a pledge aimed at shielding U.S. consumers from higher utility bills because data centers.

apnews.com

Excellent summary of the community solar fiasco in California. The CPUC has no interest in a viable program and intentionally frustrated the implementation of AB 2316. As a result, CA lost out on billions of dollars of federal support that are no longer available.

Jeff St John@jeffstjohn.bsky.social · 5mo ago

Four years ago, California lawmakers told utility regulators to create a community solar-battery program to curb rising electricity bills and meet state climate goals. But state regulators have failed to deliver — and lawmakers are demanding action: www.canarymedia.com/articles/sol... #energysky

Repealing these requirements could allow AZ utilities to resell existing renewable energy procurement to CA load serving entities for compliance with CA's zero carbon electricity targets. This type of resource shuffling would undermine CA's goals and needs to be addressed by state regulators.

Sammy Roth@sammyroth.bsky.social · 5mo ago

Arizona Republicans repealed the state's renewable energy requirements: www.kjzz.org/politics/202...

I coauthored this op-ed discussing the need for state policy to ensure that the growth of data centers in California provides benefits for electricity ratepayers and the environment. I'm working with NetZero CA and Senator Steven Padilla on legislation (SB 886/SB 887) that addresses these concerns.

CalMatters@calmatters.org · 5mo ago

With thoughtful planning, California can gain new data centers in ways that benefit ratepayers, improve grid reliability and minimize environmental harms. bit.ly/4bfMylb

I was honored to join this week's Boiling Point podcast with LA Times reporter @sammyroth.bsky.social to discuss final outcomes on electricity affordability in this year's CA legislative session. The bottom line -- small steps forward but so much more remains to be done.

Boiling Point podcast

A new podcast from L.A. Times Studios Listen every Thursday as award-winning L.A.

latimes.com

Great article highlighting one of the problematic elements of Governor Newsom's deal to keep Diablo Canyon operating. The rest of the package gives ratepayers a raw deal by insulating PG&E from liability and creating a ratepayer-funded $1.3 billion slush fund to benefit PG&E's shareholders.

Malena Carollo@malenacarollo.bsky.social · 12mo ago

Three years ago, Gov. Newsom's administration convinced lawmakers to give PG&E a highly unusual $1.4 billion loan to keep open its nuclear power plant. It was supposed to be completely repaid by expected federal money. We found nearly half might have to be forgiven. My latest for @calmatters.org