Dive Brief:

• Southern California Edison (SCE) and San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) will acquire up to 1,500 MW to replace the retired 2,200-MW San Onofre nuclear plant under an order approved Thursday by state regulators.
• At least 600 MW must come from “preferred” resources like renewables, demand response and energy efficiency. The utilities are also required to add a total 75 MW of energy storage.
• Combined with a previously approved procurement plan to handle the expected retirement of once-through cooling plants, SCE will obtain 1,900 MW to 2,500 MW of new resources in the Los Angeles Basin and SDG&E will get 800 MW to 1,100 MW.

Dive Insight:

Groups pressed the California Public Utilities Commission to require the utilities to get all renewables and energy efficiency, but the commission balked at the idea. Even so, groups like the Natural Resources Defense Council praised the decision because of its direction on preferred resources.

“This decision will have a major impact on future long term energy planning because it demonstrates that we can replace an enormous nuclear power plant with largely clean energy and transmission solutions,” said Sierra Martinez, NRDC legal director for California energy projects.