Last week the CPUC handed @IRECUSA a nice ruling that is going to be really helpful for making hosting capacity analyses useful for #ElectricVehicles. And they affirmed, AGAIN, that utilities cannot keep trying to redact info that they repeatedly have been ordered to publish.

After well over two years of working with the utilities to try to fix flaws in the ICA maps that they published back in 2019, @IRECUSA finally filed a motion asking the CPUC to resolve the remaining issues in October of 2020. Here is a quick highlights reel on what we got:

1st, we uncovered that the manner in which the utilities were reporting available capacity for new load was severely off. 60-70% of the circuits showed 0 capacity for new load. If true, this would be a serious problem for our ability to meet California's #ev charging goals.

After months of questions, the utilities eventually admitted that, no, their information on the maps did not mean there was no capacity for load. So, the PUC has now ordered them to report on what happened (what does it mean?) and then to work with stakeholders to get it fixed.

2nd, SDG&E was blatantly violating multiple past CPUC orders by continuing to redacting important information from the map that they had been required to publish. The CPUC ordered them to cease that & required all utilities to include transmission and substation info on the maps.

3rd, the CPUC also required the utilities to ensure they have adequate search and sort capabilities in the maps. This will enable solar, electric vehicle charging companies, and other DER providers to actually find locations on the grid where there is capacity for their projects.

Finally, the CPUC adopted a long needed process of requiring the utilities to create validation plans to ensure that the data being published is actually accurate. These plans will have to be vetted by a 3rd party expert.

While I am happy to get it, the truth is that this ruling should not have been required. But @IRECUSA is happy to see the CPUC continue to lead on ensuring robust grid transparency to facilitate a low cost clean energy transition! https://twitter.com/IRECUSA/status/1356697544873631752?s=20

Oh and here is the link to the ruling: https://docs.cpuc.ca.gov/SearchRes.aspx?docformat=ALL&docid=361810169