2025

Shaped Legislation that Brings Down Costs and Provides Reliable Power in California

In California, expanding and modernizing the state’s electricity transmission infrastructure and deploying high-voltage transmission lines is critical to meeting its ambitious clean energy goals — but relying solely on traditional investor-owned utility (IOU) financing could significantly burden ratepayers.  

In partnership with Net-Zero California, CATF analysis found that adopting public-private financing models could save Californians up to $3 billion annually, or roughly $123 billion over 40 years. This analysis identifies several strategies to cut costs while improving efficiency, including leveraging low-cost public debt, introducing competitive bidding for transmission projects, reducing tax burdens through public ownership, and enhancing operational efficiency with private sector involvement. A “lease-type” public-private partnership model cut costs by more than 50%, offering a scalable framework for other states. 

This analysis shaped SB 254 which established the California Transmission Infrastructure Accelerator that will facilitate public-private transmission financing in the state.