The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors has agreed to commit $3 million in a bid to build a microgrid in the coastal town of Pescadero, which has been plagued by hundreds of power outages in the last two years.
“With this investment we embrace a resilient reliable clean energy future, for a community that for decades has been a victim of one of the Bay Area’s worst power infrastructures,” said Supervisor Ray Mueller in a statement.
Microgrids are isolated sources of energy that independently provide electricity even when the main power grid fails, which could provide a back-up power source for the small, isolated town of Pescadero. The unincorporated town is located about 17 miles south of Half Moon Bay.
In the last two years, the power has gone out throughout Pescadero at least 400 times. From 2021 to 2022, the town endured 25 power outages that lasted more than a day, according to San Mateo County.
But through Pacific Gas & Electric’s Microgrid Incentive Program, a solar and battery-powered microgrid could come to Pescadero. The incentive program provides grants to install microgrids in disadvantaged communities and areas that are more vulnerable to power outages.
“By creating a reliable source of power, we’re strengthening Pescadero’s resilience not only during disasters, but every single day.” Shruti Dhapodkar, San Mateo County Department of Emergency Management
“By creating a reliable source of power, we’re strengthening Pescadero’s resilience not only during disasters, but every single day,” said Shruti Dhapodkar, director of the county’s Department of Emergency Management, in a statement.
The county’s $3 million commitment, which the Board of Supervisors approved during its Dec. 9 meeting, joins Peninsula Clean Energy’s pledge of $10 million. Peninsula Clean Energy is the county’s provider of clean and renewable electricity.
“Peninsula Clean Energy is excited to partner with county and Pescadero community leaders on a very innovative and important way to help our underserved coastside communities who are among the hardest hit with power outages,” said Peninsula Clean Energy CEO Shawn Marshall in a statement.
The funding commitments from both the county and Peninsula Clean Energy improve the competitiveness of the proposal since PG&E’s Microgrid Incentive Program favors projects with significant financial contributions from local entities, according to a county staff report.
If the application for a microgrid in Pescadero gets approved by PG&E, an 18-month planning phase would begin in 2027.