California Public Utilities Commission Approves IRP, Setting a New National Standard
IRP Decision Prioritizes the Deployment of Clean Energy Solutions
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 26, 2026
Sacramento, CA– The California Public Utilities Commission approved the statewide Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) today. The decision requires load-serving entities in California to procure 6 GW of clean renewable energy capacity by 2031. The decision establishes a new national benchmark for our energy grid resource planning by prioritizing the execution of clean, reliable solutions while protecting communities across California. The IRP incorporates several recommendations made by Vote Solar.
The approved IRP rejects the inclusion of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) on gas plants as a qualifying clean resource. This closes a critical fossil fuel loophole long used by utilities to justify extending the life of older gas plants and proposing new fossil generation. By excluding CCS from the 6 gigawatt mandate, the California Public Utilities Commission has protected ratepayers from financing costly fossil fuel infrastructure while delivering an important victory for frontline communities that disproportionately bear the health impacts of air pollution from these facilities.
“The Commission’s IRP decision marks a pivotal moment in California’s clean energy transition,” said Sachu Constantine, Executive Director of Vote Solar. “At a moment when utilities across the country are still trying to force fossil fuels in reliability planning, California has made it clear that affordability, public health, and clean energy must move forward together. Today’s decision positions California to lead the next phase of grid modernization and sets a model for other states to follow.”
The decision also establishes a 25% procurement set-aside for clean firm resources, like geothermal energy, and medium-duration energy storage capable of delivering eight or more hours of power. These resources will help absorb excess mid-day solar production, reduce renewable curtailment, and strengthen grid reliability without reliance on gas peaker plants. Additionally, accelerated updates to Effective Load Carrying Capability (ELCC) calculations create a pathway to demonstrate that long-duration storage can replace aging dirty fossil generation, laying the groundwork for future retirement of Once-Through Cooling (OTC) plants and California’s broader thermal fleet.
“This is a promising step forward for California,” said Claudine Custodio, Vote Solar’s Regulatory Director for the Interior West. “This order comes at a time when incentives for solar projects are about to expire. It provides the path to scale clean, affordable, and reliable energy solutions. We look forward to continuing to advocate for solar policies in California to ensure that every household has a positive stake in an energy system that works for them.”
About Vote Solar
Vote Solar is a nonprofit advocacy organization working to advance state-level policies that make solar solutions accessible to all. Since 2002, Vote Solar has worked to build an equitable clean energy future by leveraging deep policy expertise, strategic partnerships, and public engagement. In the face of powerful opposition, Vote Solar champions bold solutions that expand clean energy access, drive investment in frontline communities, and accelerate the transition to 100% clean energy.