CPUC report touts energy efficiency success

California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has announced that “groundbreaking energy efficiency programs” it approved resulted in savings of 5,900 gigawatt-hours of electricity in 2010-11, enough to power more than 600,000 households for a year and the equivalent of two major power plants.

The figures were based on utility-reported savings estimates.

According to CPUC, the estimated savings cut CO2 emissions by 3.8 million tons, the equivalent of removing more than 700,000 cars from California’s roads.

CPUC’s 2010-11 Energy Efficiency Annual Progress Evaluation Report, issued Sept. 4, details steps toward meeting multiple statewide energy and climate policy objectives, including the Energy Action Plan, Assembly Bill 32 and the California Long Term Energy Efficiency Strategic Plan.

The report is available at cpuc.ca.gov/NR/rdonlyres/89718A1B-C3D5-4E30-9A82-74ED155D0485/0/EnergyEfficiencyEvaluationReport.pdf.