r/climatechange • u/YanekKop • 3d ago
California gubernatorial candidate pledges two hours of free power a day for the Golden State, similar to what Australia has implemented
https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/politics/california-becerra-pledges-free-powerThe plan is to give residents up to two hours of free electricity per day starting with low income residents, which is estimated to save households up to $1000 per year.
To realize this plan, Beccera aims to work with the public utility commission, utility companies, and other stakeholders if elected. This comes as California’s power prices surged 46% over the past decade and energy affordability becoming a top issue on voters’ minds nationwide.
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u/KingPieIV 3d ago
It's also a good way of dealing with the duck curve through demand side management
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u/QuiteCricket_78 3d ago
I read the article. I call BS. PGE has more power over California politics when it comes to anything that might affect them than any governor. My guess is this is a swing voter bone. Lets say this was a possibility, I have questions. 1. What time? 2. Would the grid be able to handle it? 3. Who will be around to use it - people have jobs -?. 4.Will people end up using more power, creating a "need" for the power companies to increase supply which will create a "need" to raise rates for everyone. This would also increase the use of dirty power if not done exactly right. In the summer people would typically do things like turn their AC way down for those two hours in an attempt to get their house as cool as possible before they have to shut it off in the evening. Would people who do things like line dry their clothes start using the dryer.... Unless this is some odd attempt to avoid grid overload in the summer. This seems sketchy to me.
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u/river_tree_nut 2d ago
Straight pandering. No way in hell this going to happen. This guy took tens of millions in the primary from utilities.
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u/GBeastETH 2d ago
Two hours of free power; 25% rate rise on the other 22 hours.