California
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T&D
Prisma Photonics Deploys Grid Monitoring Equipment in California
Prisma Photonics, a global provider of advanced optical fiber sensing technology, announced a trial deployment with California’s Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) to deploy grid monitoring solutions traversing some of California’s most challenging geographic areas in San Luis Obispo and Humboldt counties. The project comes as California’s electrical grid faces surging data center demand, […]
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Renewables
BayWa r.e. Moving Forward With California Solar-Plus-Storage Project
Renewable energy company BayWa r.e. said it has closed financing for a solar-plus-storage installation in San Diego County, California. The group on December 9 said the Jacumba Valley Ranch (JVR) Energy Park is expected to enter commercial operation in 2026.
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Nuclear
Nuclear Startup Announces Kansas Site for Mile-Deep Reactor Pilot
A California-based nuclear energy company with plans to place small modular reactors (SMRs) in mile-deep boreholes said it will break ground December 9 for a pilot project at a site in Parsons, Kansas. Berkeley-headquartered Deep Fission on December 4 said the company’s Gravity Nuclear Reactor is bring prepared for the Great Plains Industrial Park. Deep […]
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Electrification
Getting the Grid and Charging Infrastructure Ready for Heavy-Duty Electric Trucks
The dawn of electric semitrucks and other medium- and heavy-duty commercial vehicles has arrived, and if the technology is going to be widely adopted, we have to come to grips with what this means for our electrical infrastructure.
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Commentary
California’s Backup Power Crossroads: Balancing Clean Energy Ambitions with Public Safety
California is on the verge of banning the sale of portable fossil fuel-powered generators, the most commonly used backup power solution for households and small businesses. The state’s move aligns with its ambitious climate strategy to cut carbon emissions and advance toward a clean energy future. However, the ban also exposes a difficult reality: millions […]
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Energy Storage
California Energy Company Launches World’s Largest Industrial Heat Battery
California-based Rondo Energy said its 100-MWh Rondo Heat Battery (RHB) has entered daily automatic operation, with energy provided by a solar photovoltaic array. The system is delivering continuous high-pressure industrial heat and steam to an enhanced oil recovery site run by Holmes Western Oil Corp. Rondo on October 16 said Holmes has replaced one of […]
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Trends
Why This Summer’s Heat Proved the Case for a Smarter Grid
The summer of 2025 pushed the U.S. electric grid to its limits. A brutal heat dome swept across the East Coast, while a powerful derecho tore through the Midwest, leaving more than 28,000 homes and businesses without power in Iowa alone. Demand surged to record levels. Yet despite the pressure, the grid avoided major blackouts. Smarter, more flexible systems are beginning to deliver results, but the need for faster transformation is undeniable.
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News
PG&E Will Upgrade Infrastructure as Part of 5-Year, $73-Billion Investment Plan
California utility PG&E announced a $73-billion capital expenditure plan covering the next five years, with investments targeting infrastructure upgrades to support growing demand for electricity in its territory, particularly from data centers.
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Hydrogen
Hybrid Microgrid Combines Hydrogen Fuel Cells with Battery Storage
A Switzerland-based energy storage group with U.S. headquarters in California has joined with Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) to deploy a hybrid microgrid energy project in Calistoga, California.
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Geothermal
Baker Hughes, CTR Have Agreements for 500 MW of Geothermal in California
Baker Hughes, an energy technology company, and Controlled Thermal Resources (CTR) have entered into definitive agreements to collaborate on the development of up to 500 MW of baseload geothermal power at CTR’s Hell’s Kitchen project in Imperial County, California. The staged development, announced September 9, will deliver baseload geothermal energy at scale, providing reliable power […]