Democratic gubernatorial candidate Xavier Becerra is proposing free electricity for part of the day in California's governor race, arguing the plan could help millions of households lower their utility bills while making better use of the state's abundant midday solar power.
Here's what to know
At POLITICO's Sacramento Summit, Becerra said he wants Californians to get electricity at no charge during a set period around midday. He did not spell out how the program would be funded, though ABC7 Eyewitness News reported that he said he would work with regulators, utilities, and other stakeholders on the details.
The plan is aimed at California's daily power imbalance: the state often has more solar energy available in the middle of the day than it can use immediately, but faces higher demand and steeper costs later in the evening, when the grid is under more stress.
Rising utility costs have also become a bigger statewide issue. According to UC Berkeley's Haas Energy Institute, household energy bills in California have climbed nearly 40% over the past six years.
That is why Rajit Gadh, the founding director of UCLA's Smart Grid Energy Research Center, said shifting more power use into daytime hours could ease strain on the grid.
"If a lot of people are able to use electricity in the daytime... you are going to see a fall in the evening peak load, which is the big concern of California grid operators," Gadh said.
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More background
The idea is to turn one of California's clean-energy complications into a direct benefit for consumers. Solar generation has grown quickly in the state, helping cut pollution and bolster energy resilience, but it also leaves the grid with stretches of sunny midday oversupply.
Gadh said that excess can become so severe that grid operators are effectively paying customers to absorb the electricity. In other words, the problem is not only how much renewable energy California can produce, but also when people use it.
Anyone able to shift chores and household energy use into the free period could save money by doing things like laundry, washing dishes, charging devices, or pre-cooling a home during those hours. Experts said, however, that the gains would not be felt evenly, especially for workers away from home in the middle of the day.
Severin Borenstein, the Haas Energy Institute's faculty director, said the proposal should not be treated as a comprehensive answer to high energy bills.
"The biggest concern is that this is not a solution to the overall affordability problem, and we shouldn't confuse it with that," Borenstein said.
What's being done?
Key implementation questions are still unresolved. ABC7 reported that officials at the California Independent System Operator declined to judge the proposal's merits, saying it would first require more research and coordination with the California Public Utilities Commission and the California Energy Commission.
Another sticking point is cost recovery. Borenstein said utilities would likely support free midday electricity only if they were allowed to make up the missing revenue elsewhere, either by charging more at other times or shifting costs onto other customers.
Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton called the proposal "stupid" and pushed a different approach to reducing electric bills, including expanded natural gas use and breaking up PG&E.
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