This is the third installment published by The Center for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Technologies (CEERT) and GridLab on the need for expansion of the high voltage transmission system in California. The focus of this installment was to capture the recent successes and remaining areas of concern in California’s transmission network as the state pushes towards decarbonization.

This report is organized by the following areas and topics:

1. The CAISO 2023-2024 Transmission Planning process and plans for the development of an updated 20-Year Transmission Outlook report
2. The need to address transmission expansion for clean energy development in the Central Valley
3. Planning for phasing out fossil fuel generation in the Los Angeles Basin
4. Issues related to the CAISO’s interconnection process reform initiative
5. The need for transmission permitting reform
6. Regional transmission planning efforts and linkages to California
7. The potential for new technologies and advanced conductors to improve the efficiency of the transmission system

The report identifies several recommendations for the state to continue to increase momentum towards growing integration of renewables and reliability. Chief among these recommendations are coordination between the 20-year CAISO Transmission Plan and the California Public Utilities Commission’s Integrated Resource Planning process, focused attention on the Central and Imperial Valleys as key renewable development zones, and improvements to the permitting and interconnection processes.