 Utility use of renewable energy reached new high in 2009Feb 12, 2010 - Eric Wolff, Staff Writer - North County Times California's three largest utilities added 5,451 megawatts of renewable power last year, the most green energy added to the state's electric grid since regulators started keeping track in 2002, the California Public Utilities Commission reported Wednesday. San Diego Gas & Electric Co. added 400 megawatts of renewable electricity generation in 2009, up from 278 the previous year. Southern California Edison added 1,577 megawatts, down from the 1,883 megawatts it added in 2008, the only of the three utilities to add less than the previous year. Pacific Gas & Electric Co., which serves San Francisco and much of Northern California, bought the most renewable power by far, adding 3,474 megawatts in 2009. State law requires the utilities to produce 20 percent of their peak-hour electricity from solar, wind, geothermal, or other renewable sources by 2010. The official determination of whether the utilities will achieve this goal won't be made until March, the report said. Call staff writer Eric Wolff at 760-740-5412.
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