Newsom didn’t make electricity affordable, climate-friendly

By Eli Cohen, especially for CalMatters

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Governor Gavin Newsom stood before global leaders in Brazil recently at COP30, the annual United Nations climate conference, and presented to the world as the new face of US climate ambitions.

The scene raised a question at home in California: Why did Newsom recently veto climate solutions that would have made electricity cleaner and more affordable for Californians?

For decades, California has shown the world that states and regions can drive climate and economic progress, even when national governments lag behind.

Now the fourth largest economy in the world, our country has doubled consistent reduction in emissions with sustainable economic growth and set a standard for clean car regulations that is copied around the world. He also built the first national economy-wide Cap and Invest program, the energy credit cap and trade program recently reformed and expanded under Newsom’s watch.

Yet as the climate crisis escalates, even this legacy is under scrutiny. As Newsom prepared for COP30, his administration delayed or watered down key domestic reforms and quietly expansion of oil and gas drilling in the state.
In Brazil, Newsom urged his fellow Democrats to start framing climate as an affordability issue — of course it is. This rhetoric won him praise abroad.

But Newsom has balked at several recent opportunities to jointly address climate and cost-of-living challenges.

Just weeks ago, the governor vetoed it three bipartisan bills this would progress virtual power plantswhich are systems that deliver clean energy back to the grid during peak hours by aggregating energy from devices many of us already have in our homes – such as smart thermostats, rooftop solar panels, home and electric vehicle batteries, and electric heat pumps.

Managing grid voltage with virtual power plants helps avoid blackouts, reduces reliance on gas-fired plants, and saves electricity consumers money on their utility bills, including those not participating in a virtual power plant program.

A recent study predicts virtual power plants can save californians up to $13.7 billion for electricity over the next five years. This is the climate-forward, affordability-focused policy that California voters and global climate advocates want.

But all three bills were doomed because investor-owned utilities like PG&E continue to work against local power solutions like virtual power plants and know they can count on Newsom as an ally.

It’s time for Newsom to start treating climate as a winning issue here in California — not just on the international stage in the run-up to the 2028 presidential race. Investing in solutions like virtual power plants creates jobs, lowers electricity bills, and builds resilience against wildfires and floods.

Californians pay twice the national average for electricity and yet still suffers frequent scheduled power outages. We want solutions that work, protect our families and save money, and we want our governor to protect them.

Newsom is right to highlight affordability as a pillar of climate progress, creating a further contrast between him and President Donald Trump. That’s good policy and good politics — but it’s also puzzling when his administration vetoes the most cost-effective clean energy solutions available today.

After his time in Brazil, Newsom needs more than rhetoric to cement his legacy as a true climate activist. In his final months as governor, he must push through policies to combat the climate crisis and provide economic relief for hardworking Californians. Here are two ways he can show the world how to tackle climate change while keeping the cost of living down.

First, break down government barriers to local, clean and affordable energy. Newsom should stop pandering to corporate utilities like PG&E and mobilize the state to support rooftop solar, virtual power plants and other clean, decentralized electric solutions.

Second, eliminate fossil fuel subsidies and make corporate polluters pay for climate disasters. California gives billions to the oil and gas industry while communities shoulder the costs of extreme weather and fossil fuel pollution. Making polluters pay their fair share would help finance the transition to a cleaner economy, improve public health and take the burden off taxpayers.

These solutions can be replicated worldwide. And thanks to Newsom’s strong performance in Brazil, the world will be watching.

This article was originally published on CalMatters and is republished under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivatives license.