Grid Infrastructure - California Climate and Energy Collaborative

Barrier 2: Grid Infrastructure

Barrier Statement

Insufficient and aging infrastructure (e.g. battery storage, smart grid, transmission) cannot adequately support or optimize growing energy demand (e.g EVs, VPPs, AI, data centers, housing), the rapid transition to renewables, abundant day-time energy, and reliability as climate impacts increase.

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How communities are experiencing this barrier

View the details on what communities have shared with SLECC from across the state.

Key challenge discussed in - San Diego

Extreme heat, wildfires, and storms increase strain on already insufficient infrastructure. As electrification accelerates, these climate-driven stresses threaten reliability further, compounding affordability and resilience challenges.

Key challenge discussed in - San Diego

Communities experience complex, piecemeal grid upgrades without cohesive planning, leading to higher costs, inefficiencies, and lack of alignment with electrification and resilience goals

Local Solution Opportunities

SLECC stakeholders have brainstormed the following solution opportunities that can be taken by local leaders. Existing examples of progress or pathways to make further progress are highlighted if known.

Local Solution

Take advantage of the Local Electrification Plan Legislation (AB39) requirements to help with grid planning on the local scale.

Existing Examples of Progress:

2025 passage of AB39, Zbur. General plans: Local Electrification Planning Act.

Further Progress Pathways

Region(s): Statewide

Local Solution

Local monitoring and coordination – Calls for community-level monitoring and planning to align infrastructure upgrades with electrification and resilience needs, instead of fragmented project-by-project upgrades

Existing Examples of Progress:

Further Progress Pathways

Region(s): San Diego

Local Solution

Regional governance alignment – Establish regional planning tables so local governments, CCAs, and utilities coordinate grid modernization strategies rather than acting in silos

Existing Examples of Progress:

Further Progress Pathways

Region(s): San Diego

State Solution Opportunities

SLECC stakeholders have brainstormed the following solution opportunities that can be taken by state leaders. Existing examples of progress or pathways to make further progress are highlighted if known.

State Solution

Stronger regulation of the Investor Owned Utilities (eg PG&E). Make hearing their rate cases at the CPUC contingent on meeting grid performance and safety goals first.

Existing Examples of Progress:

Further Progress Pathways

Region(s): Statewide

State Solution

Integrate climate resilience into infrastructure codes – State should update codes to embed resilience to extreme heat, wildfire, and storms in grid design standards

Existing Examples of Progress:

Further Progress Pathways

Region(s): San Diego

State Solution

Streamline permitting – Simplify CEQA and overlapping jurisdictional reviews that delay grid infrastructure deployment

Existing Examples of Progress:

Further Progress Pathways

Region(s): San Diego

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Additional Resources

Please share any additional resources you would like to include by emailing eecoordinator@civicwell.org.