FRESNO (KMJ) — Local business leaders say the valley needs reliable electricity to help it power future growth – and now they’re trying to make sure it happens.
Representatives from Fresno County Farm Bureau, Fresno Chamber of Commerce, Madera Chamber of Commerce, and others all gathered at Fresno State with a single message. They want the Central Valley Power Connect line built – to ensure the valley can support future growth.
The Power Connect line is a proposed new transmission line the business and community leaders say is needed to maintain electric reliability for local homes, businesses, and farms in the future.
“In anticipation of a migration of a population base into the Central Valley”, says President and CEO of the Fresno Chamber of Commerce Al Smith. “It’s very important we’re prepared for that”.
He says as the rest of California gets more expensive – businesses will be attracted to the cheaper overheads offered by valley – and the valley needs to be prepared.
“When and if that migration takes place we have the resources to serve it”.
But it’s not as simple as electricity supplier PG&E simply building a new line. They need to convince the California Public Utilities Commission to approve it.
“They are helping us justify that from the community perspective”, says Raj Beasla from PG&E. “There is a need for reliable energy to attract businesses here and also serve the existing community”.
He says the greater Fresno area is their second highest consumer of energy – after the Bay Area – and the need for spare capacity can’t be underestimated.
