Dive Brief:

• California's utility sector will be affected in various ways by climate change, according to a report by California Energy Commission staff.
• Heat waves will become more common, be hotter, last longer, start earlier in the year and end later, according to forecasts.
• California's hydroelectric resources could be affected by changing snow and rainfall patterns as the climate changes, the report said.

Dive Insight:

“Climate change is likely to compromise energy supplies, particularly during temperature peaks when demand will be exacerbated,” the report said. “Principal impacts on energy supply could be reduced electricity output from thermal power plants, lower capacity of the transmission and distribution infrastructure to deliver electricity, damage to infrastructure from extreme weather events, and changes in the availability and timing of renewable energy resources.”