New Study: Valley Clean Infrastructure Plan Will Save Californians $9 Billion and Cut Emissions by 15% Annually by 2050

The study found that the Valley Clean Infrastructure Plan would help the state meet its clean energy and carbon reduction goals more affordably.

SACRAMENTO, CA, UNITED STATES, May 21, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- A new independent analysis finds the Valley Clean Infrastructure Plan (VCIP) could provide significant relief to Californians with $9 billion in energy cost savings over the next 25 years. In addition, the study found VCIP would also help the state in relieving grid congestion, strengthening energy reliability and reducing power plant emissions by 15% annually.

Conducted by 1898 & Co., a global business and technology consulting firm delivering insights and solutions for critical infrastructure industries, the study confirms that the Valley Clean Infrastructure Plan (VCIP) would deliver significant economic and environmental benefits to California. Planned for development by Golden State Clean Energy (GSCE) in collaboration with Westlands Water District, VCIP is a master-planned transmission and renewable energy project located in Fresno County that includes 20 GW of solar energy, 20 GW of battery storage, new 500 kV transmission lines and new substations, designed to strengthen California’s grid and accelerate clean energy adoption.

The study analyzed the future build-out that will be required to meet California’s electricity needs and climate policies including impacts of transmission bottlenecks in California that are limiting deployment of renewable energy assets statewide; the regional difference in electric sector greenhouse gas emissions across CA; and the role VCIP can play in alleviating transmission congestion, reducing emissions, and driving lower costs for ratepayers.

Overall, the study found that integrating VCIP into California’s power market would:
• Save ratepayers $9 billion by 2050, with $850 million in annual electricity cost savings and economic benefits continuing to grow thereafter;
• Reduce power sector carbon emissions by 15% per year, with a cumulative reduction of 60 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions by 2050—equivalent to permanently removing more than half a million cars from the road;
• Relieve transmission bottlenecks in Central California, to enable more efficient delivery of renewable energy across California, particularly to regions in Northern California to reduce dependence on costly, emission-intensive natural gas resources.

“VCIP is a strategic and essential part of the solution to achieve California’s clean energy future,” said Patrick Mealoy, Chief Operating Officer of Golden State Clean Energy. “California needs over 180,000 MW of new renewable generation and storage projects to achieve our 2045 requirements, including 70,000 MW or more of solar. At 20,000 MW, VCIP can provide a streamlined and efficient way to support a meaningful portion of this target. GSCE advocates for an ‘all of the above’ approach to support California’s clean energy transition and believes VCIP can quickly deliver meaningful benefits for California ratepayers, the electric grid, and the environment.”

One of the study’s most critical insights is that transmission bottlenecks—particularly in Central California—are resulting in higher costs and higher emissions due to Northern California’s continued reliance on natural gas. VCIP’s proposed transmission lines and substations would directly address this constraint, allowing clean, low-cost solar power to move more freely across the state.

“VCIP represents exactly the kind of infrastructure investment California needs—smart, strategic, and focused on affordability,” said Bob Dean of IBEW Local 1245. “By lowering costs and expanding access to clean, affordable energy, this project will directly benefit ratepayers, support local jobs, and will help the state meet its climate goals. VCIP is a win-win-win for all Californians.”

In addition to economic and environmental benefits, VCIP’s streamlined development timeline positions it to deliver results faster than many other large-scale infrastructure projects and will be critical for helping California meet its 100% clean energy target. Based in Fresno County, VCIP will dramatically advance California's clean energy goals by developing as much as 20,000 MW of clean energy and storage by repurposing up to 130,000 acres of drainage-impacted agriculture lands while helping preserve family farms and consolidating water resources. VCIP transmission infrastructure will be developed under a Project Labor Agreement using 100% union labor; the first phase of the project intends to be operable before 2030.

Methodology
The 1898 & Co. analysis compared two future scenarios for California’s power markets: a “business-as-usual” case without VCIP, and a “with-VCIP” case that includes its full generation and transmission capacity. Using industry-leading capacity expansion and production cost modeling tools, the 1898 & Co. Study simulated energy dispatch and grid operations hourly through 2050. The modeling incorporated key variables such as natural gas and coal prices, emissions costs, power plant retirements and new builds, transmission constraints and approved upgrades, and projected electricity demand across California.
For inquiries, please contact Alison MacLeod at (916)225-6317 or amacleod@ka-pow.com.

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About Golden State Clean Energy: Golden State Clean Energy (GSCE) is a California-based renewable energy developer focused on delivering grid-scale solutions that meet the state’s ambitious climate and reliability goals. GSCE is quickly becoming the leading infrastructure developer based in California, specializing in innovative master-planned projects for renewable energy, electric transmission, clean energy sources, storage and water. GSCE’s leadership team was the founding developer of the 2,700 MW Westlands Solar Park, one of the largest solar projects in the United States, known for its innovative private transmission infrastructure. GSCE is committed to building investable, accelerated, and integrated clean energy projects across California’s evolving power landscape. For more information, visit https://goldenstatecleanenergy.com.

About 1898 & Co.: 1898 & Co. is a global business, technology, and security consultancy serving critical infrastructure industries. We partner with clients to plan, secure and optimize their business. As part of Burns & McDonnell and our 120 years of industry experience, we understand the complexity of your asset-intensive business model, the trends impacting your industry, and the need to ground big ideas in operational realities. For more information, visit 1898andCo.com.

Alison MacLeod
KP Public Affairs
+1 916-225-6317
amacleod@ka-pow.com