The governor’s order creates the Green Building Initiative, a public and private partnership that aims to use energy and resource efficiently. Specifically, the program’s first goal is to reduce electricity purchased from the grid by existing government and private commercial buildings by 10 percent per square foot by 2010 and 20 percent by 2015.
The second goal involves retrofitting, building and operating the most energy and resource efficient and healthful public buildings in the country. At the governor's direction, state buildings will seek to use environmentally sustainable management practice and calls for all state buildings to attain a LEED Silver or higher certification. LEED is a green building rating system developed by the U.S. Green Building Council.
Schwarzenegger also underscored the need for continued energy conservation, urging all Californians to "flex their power" by using energy wisely, buying energy-efficient homes and appliances or joining a demand-response program. To keep the lights on and lower energy costs, California must move aggressively on several fronts.
In other power-related news, the governor commissioned a power transmission line, called Path 15. He says the state needs to continue to expand and upgrade its transmission system, build more power plants, and invest in energy efficiency and conservation programs.
"Path 15 is a crucial link in our transmission grid. This new line will allow the state to deliver power more effectively and prevent blackouts in California," Schwarzenegger said in a press release. "With better transmission, more generation, a commitment to energy efficiency and conservation we will accomplish the common sense goals of my energy plan — more power at lower prices."
The 84-mile stretch of power line was built by a public/private partnership between the federal and state government agencies, the Western Power Administration, the Pacific Gas and Electric Company and Trans-Elect. Path 15 is the third 500 kilovolt transmission line in California designed to relieve the energy bottleneck between southern and northern California.
The addition of this third line and other upgrades allows 1,500 megawatts of additional power to be transmitted across the state (enough power to supply approximately 1.5 million households) and will save Californians approximately $100 million per year in energy costs in normal years and $300 million during dry years when the line will help mitigate lacking hydro-electric resources. The project was completed for approximately $250 million, about 18 percent less than original projections and was completed ahead of schedule.
