Introduced by Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur, AB 941 will establish clear timelines to accelerate grid electric grid expansion and support California’s clean energy transition while maintaining the integrity of crucial environmental review processes.
SACRAMENTO, CA – Today, Democratic Caucus Chair and Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur (D-Hollywood) introduced AB 941, a bill aimed at establishing deadlines for the California Public Utilities Commission's (CPUC) review process for priority electric transmission projects. Sponsored by the California Coalition of Utility Employees, San Diego Gas & Electric and the Clean Power Campaign, this legislation establishes a 270-day deadline after an application is deemed complete for the CPUC to complete the Environmental Impact Review (EIR) of these critical infrastructure projects. The bill will preserve and ensure rigorous environmental protections remain in place and at the same time provide for timely and efficient permitting to support California's ambitious climate and energy goals.
"California has set bold targets to achieve carbon neutrality by 2045, but to get there, we must rapidly expand and modernize our electric grid," said Assemblymember Zbur. "Right now, unnecessary permitting delays are slowing down essential energy projects, putting both our climate goals and grid reliability at risk. This is a simple bill that sets clear and reasonable deadlines while maintaining full public participation and rigorous environmental standards. We can have both a strong environmental review process and an efficient timeline to build the infrastructure needed to transition to clean energy and protect our communities from the devastating impacts of climate change."
As California transitions away from fossil fuels, energy demand is expected to grow at an unprecedented rate. To meet this challenge, the state must quadruple its clean energy generation capacity by 2045, with more than $30 billion in new transmission projects needed by 2040, according to the California Independent System Operator (CAISO). While the CPUC has introduced reforms to streamline permitting—such as allowing applicants to submit draft California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) documents earlier and leveraging CAISO approval during environmental review—these changes lack clear deadlines for project approval. As a result, critical transmission projects can face significant and unnecessary regulatory and environmental review delays, often taking a decade or more to complete.
AB 941 directly addresses this problem by establishing a statutory 270-day timeline for CPUC to complete the Environmental Impact Review (EIR) for priority transmission projects identified in CAISO's transmission plan. By doing so, the bill ensures that strong environmental safeguards remain in place while projects vital to renewable energy integration, grid resiliency, and decarbonization move forward at the pace required to meet California's clean energy and reliability needs.
"California's clean energy transition depends on a modern, reliable grid, and that means we need to build transmission infrastructure faster—without sacrificing environmental protections or public accountability," said Scott Wetch, lobbyist for the California Coalition of Utility Employees. "AB 941 strikes the right balance by setting clear, enforceable deadlines for regulatory review while ensuring that workers can get these critical projects built safely, efficiently, and on time. We fully support this effort to cut unnecessary delays and deliver the grid upgrades California needs to meet its climate and energy goals."
"California must accelerate the buildout of critical electrical infrastructure to meet our clean energy and climate goals," said Erica Martin, Director of Environmental Services, San Diego Gas & Electric Company. "AB 941 (Zbur) provides the clear timelines needed to streamline the permitting process for priority electric infrastructure projects, ensuring a reliable and sustainable energy future for all Californians."
"Expanding transmission infrastructure and cutting bureaucratic delays are critical to integrating more affordable clean energy into the grid," said V. John White, Legislative Director of the Clean Power Campaign. "By establishing deadlines for this process, we can reduce our reliance on costly natural gas and ensure a more reliable and sustainable energy future for California."
AB 941 will be referred to policy committee in the coming weeks.
Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur serves as the Democratic Caucus Chair for the California State Assembly and represents the 51st Assembly District, which includes Universal City, Hollywood, Hancock Park, West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Westwood, West Los Angeles, Santa Monica, and other portions of Los Angeles.
CONTACT: Vienna Montague, (916) 319-2051, Vienna.Montague@asm.ca.gov