The US power utility Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) is proposing nine new battery energy storage projects totalling approximately 1,600 MW in California (United States) to further integrate renewable energy resources and improve reliability of the state electric system. If approved by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), these nine projects would bring PG&E’s total battery energy storage system (BESS) capacity to more than 3,330 MW by 2024. So far, more than 600 MW has been connected to California’s electric grid including the 400 MW Vistra Moss Landing BESS in Monterey County (August 2021). Another 1,100 MW of storage capacity (of the 3,300 MW contracted) should come online in 2022 and 2023, including the 182 MW Elkhorn BESS (by mid-2022).
In June 2021, the CPUC approved its « mid-term reliability » plan aimed at mitigating potential shortfall of electricity over the next five years in California, by adding 11.5 GW of renewable capacity between 2023 and 2026. In addition, the CPUC called for the procurement of 1 GW of long-duration energy storage systems.