California electrical grid operator OK’d $89 million in Sonoma, Napa reliability upgrades

The Press Democrat

Planners for California’s electrical grid have eyed up to $88.6 million in needed upgrades to transmission lines and equipment in Sonoma and Napa counties to prevent forecast overloads in certain segments in coming years.

The California Independent System Operator Board of Governors on Thursday unanimously approved those North Bay projects amid a “historic” slate of transmission system upgrades totaling 45 projects and $7.13 billion in estimated cost.

Further on the horizon in planning for moving power around in the state needed upgrades to handle the offshore wind project off Humboldt Bay and innovation projects envisioned for The Geysers geothermal field along the borders of Sonoma, Mendocino and Lake counties.

Sonoma Clean Power, an energy supplier for Sonoma and Mendocino counties, is promoting a geothermal opportunity zone, or GeoZone, to create 85% more power in The Geysers area using cutting-edge low-water-use and lower-heat technologies.

Read more here: California electrical grid operator OK’d $89 million in Sonoma, Napa reliability upgrades (pressdemocrat.com)