CPUC issues proposals to maintain reliable energy this winter

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) issued proposals recently for sufficient natural gas supplies for gas and electric customers in the Los Angeles Basin this winter.

CPUC submitted a proposal and an alternate proposal to maintain reliable energy this winter. Both will be considered at the CPUC’s Nov. 4 meeting. Both proposals would allow for increasing the amount of natural gas to be stored at Southern California Gas Company’s Aliso Canyon Natural Gas Storage Facility in LA County to meet energy demand.

The main proposal would authorize SoCalGas to increase the working gas storage capacity at Aliso Canyon to 68.6 billion cubic feet (Bcf), the maximum amount allowable to ensure safe operations.

The alternate proposal, put forth by Commissioner Martha Guzman Aceves, would authorize SoCalGas to increase the working gas storage capacity in the field to only 41 Bcf and ensure SoCalGas meets minimum reliability needs for the region.

“As we transition to a clean energy economy, we need to ensure energy reliability. We must do so in a manner that does not detract from our mandate to ultimately reduce our reliance on natural gas infrastructure like Aliso Canyon. The 41 Bcf limit is safe and reliable, and it will allow us to get through this winter while we continue our progress toward planning how to reduce or eliminate our use of Aliso Canyon by 2027 or 2035, or anytime in between,” Aceves said.

The proposals are part of the CPUC’s proceeding to determine the feasibility of closing the Aliso Canyon facility and to determine the most effective way to maintain energy reliability if it is closed. CPUC’s consultants, FTI Consulting, have been modeling scenarios to inform potential paths to replace the Aliso Canyon facility.  CPUC also has been acting to reduce the need for Aliso Canyon in other venues.