In this latest installment, the Center for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Technologies (CEERT) provides a review of California’s transmission planning, interconnection, and permitting processes so far in 2024.  This report focuses on recent California Independent System Operator (CAISO) planning activities, including the issuance of a draft 2023-2024 Transmission Plan, the finalization of the interconnection process enhancement initiative, and the preparation for studies in the upcoming 2024-2025 Transmission Plan.

This report also evaluates ongoing efforts of the Legislature and the CPUC to address transmission permitting reform following up on last year’s activities. The backlog of policy driven and reliability-driven transmission projects that need to commence construction is continuing to grow with the expected addition of 26 new projects in the 2023-2024 Transmission Plan, which will bring the total number of transmission projects that have been approved over the past three transmission plans to 94. Delays in transmission development will jeopardize California’s necessary transition to a zero-carbon economy. In particular, permitting reform is urgently needed in order to expand and modernize California’s electric system and strengthen linkages to the rest of the Western grid.

This transmission report reviews and comments on the following documents and issue areas: 1) the draft 2023-2024 CAISO Transmission Plan; 2) transmission expansion needed in the San Joaquin Valley for large-scale solar development; 3) transmission required to reduce the need for gas-fired generation in the Los Angeles Basin; 4) transmission permitting reform; 5) the CAISO’s proposed interconnection reform and their impact on Cluster 15 interconnection requests; and 6) an overview of advanced transmission technologies and solutions to improve the capabilities of the transmission system. Finally, this report provides findings and recommendations to guide 2024 advocacy that will advance transmission planning and permitting reform.