SACRAMENTO, California — The California Public Utilities Commission on Friday proposed committing to buy 7.6 gigawatts of offshore wind energy in the next decade — less than what developers and part of California’s Democratic delegation in Congress wanted but more than what the agency had signaled it was considering.
The CPUC’s proposed decision outlines how California should use new purchasing authority that Gov. Gavin Newsom and the Legislature created last year to buy renewable energy years ahead of time from projects that take a lot of time and money to develop, including offshore wind.
The proposal, which also calls for up to 1 gigawatt of geothermal energy and up to 2 gigawatts of long-duration energy storage, won’t be finalized until the agency’s commissioners vote to approve, reject or modify it as soon as next month.
The proposal encompasses two of California’s most pressing energy goals: weaning itself off fossil fuels and addressing a rising crisis in electricity affordability.
