San Mateo County officials are backing an ambitious fix for ongoing and sustained power outages in Pescadero: a solar-and-battery community microgrid that would keep much of the town powered even when the wider grid fails. If built, it would be one of the largest projects of its kind in California.
This week, the Board of Supervisors approved a $3 million commitment toward the project, joining a $10 million pledge from Peninsula Clean Energy, the countywide clean-power agency. The local match is intended to strengthen an application for Pacific Gas & Electric’s Microgrid Incentive Program, which favors projects with significant financial contributions from local partners, according to a press release.
“With this investment we embrace a resilient reliable clean energy future, for a community that for decades has been a victim of one of the Bay Area’s worst power infrastructures,” Supervisor Ray Mueller, who represents the South Coast, said in the release. “By committing to invest in this solar microgrid, we are keeping people safe, kids in school, small business open and making a decisive move towards a climate resilient future for seniors and families living in Pescadero. And we are providing a safety hub where people can travel to during natural hazard events, for those living in the large area of unincorporated San Mateo surrounding Pescadero.”
Between 2021-22, Pescadero endured 25 outages that stretched longer than a day, and at one point residents were without electricity for nearly two weeks. The disruptions have closed schools, spoiled food, forced businesses to close and interrupted operations at Puente de la Costa Sur, the local Core Service Agency, according to the release.
What seems to have escaped our dear supervisor Mueller is that PG&E is obligated under its franchise agreement, to make every effort to furnish reliable electricity services. Instead of going through the lengthy process to establish a micro grid of questionable value with its associated headaches, the residents of Pescadero should demand an upgrade to PG&E's obviously decrepit system. To that end, they should contact the CPUC. Most likely the labor unions are involved in this boondoggle and are fooling the coastal residents with false promises of improved liability. We are paying PG&E big bucks already for their electricity rates. Now, the County must kick in extra for service that should be furnished to begin with? This is akin to the toll lanes now in effect, another way to fleece the tax and rate payers.
The microgrid should all be about the local economy. Local residential solar, local wind farmers, local EVs using bi-directional charging.Where is Silicon Valley's push to to support, even demand EVs to support V2H and V2G?
BOS and Senator Becker should be pushing for that.
More battery installations from a Texas company is not what's needed here.
PCE's microgrid idea would be much more believable if the coast had a few wind turbines in place. The county could help farmers getting a few smaller turbines installed so they can have some extra income being power producers.
Instead the county is giving money to large solar farms in the desert and rich Japanese wind farm companies in Kern County or even New Mexico.
Senator Josh Becker wants to support more imported power from even larger power conglomerates.
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(2) comments
What seems to have escaped our dear supervisor Mueller is that PG&E is obligated under its franchise agreement, to make every effort to furnish reliable electricity services. Instead of going through the lengthy process to establish a micro grid of questionable value with its associated headaches, the residents of Pescadero should demand an upgrade to PG&E's obviously decrepit system. To that end, they should contact the CPUC. Most likely the labor unions are involved in this boondoggle and are fooling the coastal residents with false promises of improved liability. We are paying PG&E big bucks already for their electricity rates. Now, the County must kick in extra for service that should be furnished to begin with? This is akin to the toll lanes now in effect, another way to fleece the tax and rate payers.
The microgrid should all be about the local economy. Local residential solar, local wind farmers, local EVs using bi-directional charging.Where is Silicon Valley's push to to support, even demand EVs to support V2H and V2G?
BOS and Senator Becker should be pushing for that.
More battery installations from a Texas company is not what's needed here.
PCE's microgrid idea would be much more believable if the coast had a few wind turbines in place. The county could help farmers getting a few smaller turbines installed so they can have some extra income being power producers.
Instead the county is giving money to large solar farms in the desert and rich Japanese wind farm companies in Kern County or even New Mexico.
Senator Josh Becker wants to support more imported power from even larger power conglomerates.
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Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
Keep it clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
Don't threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Anyone violating these rules will be issued a warning. After the warning, comment privileges can be revoked.