TL;DR
Get backup power and energy gear delivered free — and shop member deals
- Fast, free delivery on millions of items
- Access to Prime Big Deal Days deals on October 6–7
- Prime Video, Amazon Music and more included
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed AB 2493, requiring investor-owned utilities and independent transmission developers to submit schedules for major upgrades needing a California Public Utilities Commission permit. The CPUC will monitor progress and must order remedial actions when projects fall behind. The law adds oversight as delayed transmission projects affect renewable energy and battery developments, but it does not set out in the supplied report a specific deadline or penalty structure.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed Assembly Bill 2493, a law requiring utilities and independent transmission developers to file schedules for major grid upgrades that need a California Public Utilities Commission permit. The CPUC will track those projects and must order remedial actions when work falls behind, adding oversight as transmission delays hold up renewable power and battery projects seeking grid connections.
AB 2493 applies to major transmission upgrades requiring a CPUC permit. Under the law, investor-owned utilities and independent developers must submit project schedules. The measure also creates a transmission development monitor within the commission to check whether developers and utilities are keeping to those schedules. If they are not, the CPUC is required to direct remedial actions.
A November 2025 CPUC report cited by Canary Media said nearly 22 gigawatts of renewable generation and battery installations depended on transmission projects that had already experienced delays in coming online. Of that amount, 13.2 gigawatts had been delayed or were at risk of delay because of transmission timelines, the report said. These figures describe projects affected by transmission delays; they are not a measure of capacity already lost from the grid.
The bill’s sponsors include the state branch of the American Clean Power Association and the Union of Concerned Scientists. Alex Jackson, executive director of American Clean Power–California, said the aim was increased oversight rather than punishment. The report also describes a clean energy developer who said a planned substation upgrade, expected in late 2026 or early 2027, was later pushed back by at least five years. The developer was not identified, and the utility involved was not named.
Delays Reach Clean Energy Projects
Transmission lines and substations connect power projects to the electricity network. When upgrades arrive late, renewable generators and batteries can face uncertainty about when they can connect and operate. The CPUC figures cited in the report show the scale of the queue affected by delays, though they do not establish that every listed project will be canceled or remain delayed.
The law’s practical effect will depend on how the commission uses its monitoring role and what remedial actions it orders. For developers, schedules and oversight could provide earlier warning when a grid upgrade slips, giving them more information for project planning. For electricity customers, faster construction is not automatically cost-free: transmission projects require investment, and the source report notes that building new lines can impose near-term costs on utility customers.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
California’s Grid Expansion Gap
California’s climate goals require substantially more electricity capacity and grid infrastructure. The source report says the state needs to add 7 to 8 gigawatts of capacity annually over the next two decades, roughly twice its current pace of growth. More transmission is needed to connect new generation and storage, but major lines are difficult to build and can take years to complete.
The California grid operator approved just under $28 billion in new projects over the five years covered by the report. Approval, however, does not mean construction is complete or that projects are on schedule. AB 2493 addresses oversight of project timelines; it does not itself build transmission lines or resolve every permitting and construction obstacle.
“The goal is not to punish utilities, but “simply to provide more oversight.””
— Alex Jackson, executive director of American Clean Power–California
home backup generator for renewable energy
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Enforcement Details Still Developing
The source report does not specify when utilities and developers must submit their schedules, how frequently the monitor will report, or what forms of remedial action the CPUC might require. It also does not describe penalties for missed timelines. The effects will depend on how the commission implements the law and whether its oversight changes project schedules.
The cited capacity totals identify renewable and battery projects affected or potentially affected by delayed transmission; they do not say how many will ultimately connect, when they might do so, or whether individual projects have alternative routes to the grid. The report also does not name the utility behind the developer’s reported five-year delay.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
CPUC Oversight and Project Schedules
The next steps are for covered utilities and independent developers to submit schedules for qualifying upgrades and for the CPUC’s new monitor to track progress. Where projects fall behind, the commission must order remedial actions under the law. The source report does not give a timetable for the monitor’s appointment or the first schedule filings.
Readers can look for the CPUC’s implementation decisions and subsequent project updates to see whether the new reporting process gives developers earlier notice of delays. The legislation creates an oversight mechanism, but the timing and completion of transmission construction remain dependent on project-specific planning and execution.
grid-tie inverter for solar panels
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Key Questions
What does California’s AB 2493 require?
It requires investor-owned utilities and independent transmission developers to submit schedules for major upgrades requiring a CPUC permit. The law also creates a CPUC monitor to track progress.
What happens if a transmission project falls behind?
The law says the CPUC must order remedial actions when covered projects are not on track. The source report does not specify the possible actions or describe a penalty scheme.
How much clean energy and storage is affected by delays?
A November 2025 CPUC report cited by Canary Media said nearly 22 gigawatts of renewable generation and battery installations depended on delayed transmission projects. It said 13.2 gigawatts had been delayed or were at risk of delay due to transmission timelines.
Does the law guarantee faster grid construction?
No. AB 2493 adds schedules and CPUC monitoring, but the report does not establish that the law will speed up construction or resolve all barriers to building transmission.
Source: rss
Halloween Picks
halloween
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
