For decades, California’s leaders have tinkered with the state’s energy market to often disastrous effects. California is currently well down the path of implementing its Renewable Energy Portfolio, which requires the state’s utilities to obtain 100 percent of their energy from so-called “clean” sources by 2045 (California Energy Commission, 2019). These warnings are meant to curtail energy use with the threat of planned outages—otherwise known as “rolling blackouts”—which occur when electricity supply runs low. Gas supply has been curtailed for years due to California’s low-carbon fuel standard and the state’s cap and trade program. (CA Independent System Operator, 2023; CA Public Utilities Commission, 2023; NRG Clean Power, 2023; Snibbe, 2023; U.S. EIA, 2023b).

Source: Los Angeles Times January 29, 2024 22:57 UTC