CORNING – Newsom Administration officials on Apr 11 joined the Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians at the groundbreaking of a large-scale solar and long-duration storage microgrid in Corning. The project will sustain tribal operations and relieve pressure on the grid during peak use times with new battery technology that can discharge power for 18 hours.

The microgrid project received a $32 million grant last year from the California Energy Commission’s Long-Duration Energy Storage Program, a part of Governor Newsom’s historic multi-billion-dollar climate commitment. The program invests in projects that accelerate the implementation of long duration energy storage solutions to increase the resiliency and reliability of our energy infrastructure and meet the state’s energy and climate goals.

 “California is showing the world how to fight the climate crisis while creating good jobs and more resilient communities. We’re building more projects like these to secure a clean and reliable energy future that benefits all our communities,” said Governor Newsom.

The project received one of the largest state grants ever awarded to benefit California Native American tribes.

California’s battery storage fleet is essential to the state’s transition away from fossil fuels. Batteries absorb excess renewable power generated during non-peak times and discharge power when demand peaks, typically in the evening. The state has increased battery storage by 757% in four years – enough to power 6.6 million homes for up to four hours.

（photo source：Office of Governor Newsroom）