California energy officials are, for the first time, rethinking plans to build expensive natural gas power plants in the face of an electricity glut and growing use of cleaner and cheaper energy alternatives. And the California Energy Commission may decide as early as Thursday to halt a natural gas project in Ventura County. The state’s power plants are on track to be able to produce at least 21% more electricity than needed by 2020, according to the Times report. Utilities in California have been on a years-long building binge, adding new natural gas plants even as the nation’s electricity system has undergone significant change. Building or overhauling natural gas plants throughout Southern California, environmentalists argue, isn’t helping achieve those goals.

Source: Los Angeles Times June 06, 2017 21:10 UTC