[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":353},["ShallowReactive",2],{"header":3,"footer":26,"footer-cities":54,"content-\u002Fnews\u002Ffeds-order-caiso-to-speed-power-for-ai-data-centers-pg-e-says-developers-pay":235},{"id":4,"title":5,"body":6,"description":10,"extension":13,"links":14,"meta":20,"navigation":21,"path":22,"seo":23,"stem":24,"__hash__":25},"header\u002Fheader.md","Central Valley AI",{"type":7,"value":8,"toc":9},"minimark",[],{"title":10,"searchDepth":11,"depth":11,"links":12},"",2,[],"md",[15],{"label":16,"to":17,"icon":19},"News",{"path":18},"\u002Fnews\u002F","mdi-newspaper-variant-outline",{},true,"\u002Fheader",{"title":5,"description":10},"header","ceT4J-WxxOBdbhRC-UD3fo0Npu7vWt2o2B9b_LURPmE",{"id":27,"title":28,"body":29,"copyright":33,"description":10,"developedBy":34,"extension":13,"links":41,"meta":49,"navigation":21,"path":50,"seo":51,"stem":52,"__hash__":53},"footer\u002Ffooter.md","Footer",{"type":7,"value":30,"toc":31},[],{"title":10,"searchDepth":11,"depth":11,"links":32},[],"© {year} All rights reserved.",{"label":35,"link":36},"Developed by",{"label":37,"to":38,"target":39,"logo":40},"Kaweah Tech","https:\u002F\u002Fkaweah.tech","_blank","https:\u002F\u002Fassets.kaweah.tech\u002Flogo-black-on-transparent-tight.svg",[42,43,46],{"label":16,"to":18},{"label":44,"to":45},"About","\u002Fabout\u002F",{"label":47,"to":48},"Privacy Policy","\u002Fprivacy-policy\u002F",{},"\u002Ffooter",{"description":10},"footer","Ras2AGS8Wuda4aBPrbAbOivaxIsAoDbo9SNCA0w554g",[55,85,123,154,181,208],{"id":56,"title":57,"body":58,"county":77,"description":10,"extension":13,"intro":78,"meta":79,"navigation":21,"path":80,"seo":81,"stem":82,"tag":83,"__hash__":84},"cities\u002Fcities\u002Fbakersfield.md","Bakersfield",{"type":7,"value":59,"toc":74},[60,65],[61,62,64],"h2",{"id":63},"ai-in-bakersfield","AI in Bakersfield",[66,67,68,69,73],"p",{},"Bakersfield's AI conversation sits at the intersection of municipal government, the ",[70,71,72],"strong",{},"California State University Bakersfield"," community, and the energy and ag operators that drive Kern County's economy. The city was an early mover on AI-assisted permitting and has been a recurring backdrop for parent- and teacher-led debates about classroom AI use. Articles below follow specific Bakersfield initiatives, public-meeting decisions, and Kern County workforce stories — and how they reflect national AI trends from a regional vantage point.",{"title":10,"searchDepth":11,"depth":11,"links":75},[76],{"id":63,"depth":11,"text":64},"Kern County","Bakersfield and the surrounding Kern County are home to some of the most concrete AI-in-government experiments in the Central Valley, from instant municipal permitting to school-district debates about classroom AI. Coverage on this page tracks how AI is reshaping public services, education, and the energy and agriculture economies that dominate the region.",{},"\u002Fcities\u002Fbakersfield",{"title":57,"description":10},"cities\u002Fbakersfield","bakersfield","ozFL4HvDA_g7UrRE1mHbKqcS-vDLwbiH9JWVh3rB2Ac",{"id":86,"title":87,"body":88,"county":115,"description":10,"extension":13,"intro":116,"meta":117,"navigation":21,"path":118,"seo":119,"stem":120,"tag":121,"__hash__":122},"cities\u002Fcities\u002Ffresno.md","Fresno",{"type":7,"value":89,"toc":112},[90,94,109],[61,91,93],{"id":92},"ai-in-fresno","AI in Fresno",[66,95,96,97,100,101,104,105,108],{},"Fresno's AI story spans several distinct ecosystems. ",[70,98,99],{},"Fresno State"," and the ",[70,102,103],{},"California State University"," system anchor a workforce-readiness push, while local ",[70,106,107],{},"Fresno Unified School District"," debates around responsible use have made the city a recurring reference point in California's K-12 AI conversation. The city's economic base in agriculture, healthcare, and public services means most AI adoption stories here are about applied uses rather than model development — a different posture than coastal tech hubs but arguably more consequential for the people living here.",[66,110,111],{},"Use the articles below to follow how AI is showing up in Fresno-area institutions and businesses.",{"title":10,"searchDepth":11,"depth":11,"links":113},[114],{"id":92,"depth":11,"text":93},"Fresno County","Fresno is the largest city in California's Central Valley and the regional center for AI adoption across agriculture, healthcare, higher education, and small business. Coverage on this page tracks how AI is being applied — and contested — in and around the city of Fresno and Fresno County.",{},"\u002Fcities\u002Ffresno",{"title":87,"description":10},"cities\u002Ffresno","fresno","gOL2xk8y9t9OV6PPxP02OjYhZFHC_Cg-VGijh_V93dI",{"id":124,"title":125,"body":126,"county":146,"description":10,"extension":13,"intro":147,"meta":148,"navigation":21,"path":149,"seo":150,"stem":151,"tag":152,"__hash__":153},"cities\u002Fcities\u002Fmerced.md","Merced",{"type":7,"value":127,"toc":143},[128,132],[61,129,131],{"id":130},"ai-in-merced","AI in Merced",[66,133,134,135,138,139,142],{},"Merced is a research-heavy node in the Central Valley AI ecosystem. ",[70,136,137],{},"UC Merced"," faculty appear in national conversations about AI safety, autonomous vehicles, climate modeling, and pediatric health applications, while the ",[70,140,141],{},"Merced Unified School District"," and surrounding county institutions navigate the same K-12 and workforce questions the rest of the Valley faces. The articles below cover both the campus research story and the broader applied uses around the city and county.",{"title":10,"searchDepth":11,"depth":11,"links":144},[145],{"id":130,"depth":11,"text":131},"Merced County","Merced punches above its weight in AI research, anchored by UC Merced — a leading West Coast hub for AI in agriculture, climate, autonomous systems, and health. Coverage on this page tracks both academic research coming out of the campus and how AI is showing up across Merced's schools, businesses, and county institutions.",{},"\u002Fcities\u002Fmerced",{"title":125,"description":10},"cities\u002Fmerced","merced","pSWWlEzMdcv2_RZrUKdkEHU3bixNboePGdHbSdd1m34",{"id":155,"title":156,"body":157,"county":173,"description":10,"extension":13,"intro":174,"meta":175,"navigation":21,"path":176,"seo":177,"stem":178,"tag":179,"__hash__":180},"cities\u002Fcities\u002Fmodesto.md","Modesto",{"type":7,"value":158,"toc":170},[159,163],[61,160,162],{"id":161},"ai-in-modesto","AI in Modesto",[66,164,165,166,169],{},"Modesto's AI conversation tends to combine ag-tech adoption stories with workforce-readiness questions for the city's small and mid-sized employers. ",[70,167,168],{},"CSU Stanislaus"," and the regional community college network shape the higher-ed angle. Coverage below follows Modesto-area AI announcements and the wider Stanislaus County context.",{"title":10,"searchDepth":11,"depth":11,"links":171},[172],{"id":161,"depth":11,"text":162},"Stanislaus County","Modesto and Stanislaus County sit between the Bay Area and the southern Valley, and their AI story reflects that bridging role — from agriculture and food processing to the **California State University Stanislaus** community to small businesses adapting to AI-driven changes in marketing, hiring, and operations.",{},"\u002Fcities\u002Fmodesto",{"title":156,"description":10},"cities\u002Fmodesto","modesto","l75Dc40MX8wTb4lD088Yx9we4ypuDwmcvE-uEdqqREc",{"id":182,"title":183,"body":184,"county":200,"description":10,"extension":13,"intro":201,"meta":202,"navigation":21,"path":203,"seo":204,"stem":205,"tag":206,"__hash__":207},"cities\u002Fcities\u002Fstockton.md","Stockton",{"type":7,"value":185,"toc":197},[186,190],[61,187,189],{"id":188},"ai-in-stockton","AI in Stockton",[66,191,192,193,196],{},"Stockton's economic base in logistics, healthcare, and higher education gives the city a different AI profile than the southern Valley. ",[70,194,195],{},"University of the Pacific"," anchors the academic conversation, while San Joaquin County government, hospitals, and warehouse operators are navigating practical adoption questions: cost, training, security, workforce impact. The articles below track Stockton-area AI announcements and the broader San Joaquin County context.",{"title":10,"searchDepth":11,"depth":11,"links":198},[199],{"id":188,"depth":11,"text":189},"San Joaquin County","Stockton and San Joaquin County sit at the northern edge of the Central Valley, where logistics, healthcare, and the University of the Pacific shape the local AI adoption story. Coverage on this page follows how AI is being put to work — and questioned — across San Joaquin County's institutions, employers, and public services.",{},"\u002Fcities\u002Fstockton",{"title":183,"description":10},"cities\u002Fstockton","stockton","TYEBK9akp2HbpAFmYY67FeKt7Rs7L8tvtYeQBtgJAHw",{"id":209,"title":210,"body":211,"county":227,"description":10,"extension":13,"intro":228,"meta":229,"navigation":21,"path":230,"seo":231,"stem":232,"tag":233,"__hash__":234},"cities\u002Fcities\u002Fvisalia.md","Visalia",{"type":7,"value":212,"toc":224},[213,217],[61,214,216],{"id":215},"ai-in-visalia","AI in Visalia",[66,218,219,220,223],{},"Visalia's AI footprint is grounded in the practical adoption stories that come with a Tulare County economy built around agriculture, food processing, and rural healthcare. ",[70,221,222],{},"College of the Sequoias"," and the surrounding K-12 districts anchor the education conversation. The articles below cover Visalia-area AI developments and the Tulare County context, with a focus on applied uses rather than research or model development.",{"title":10,"searchDepth":11,"depth":11,"links":225},[226],{"id":215,"depth":11,"text":216},"Tulare County","Visalia is the largest city in Tulare County and a center for agriculture, healthcare, and county-government services in the southern Central Valley. Coverage on this page tracks how AI is being adopted across Tulare County's schools, hospitals, ag operations, and small business community.",{},"\u002Fcities\u002Fvisalia",{"title":210,"description":10},"cities\u002Fvisalia","visalia","gN4g7aAl-cqD4FfSTgtTAarltUoKLh8NFlPzCbZngqU",{"id":236,"title":237,"archived":238,"author":239,"body":240,"date":340,"dateModified":340,"description":341,"extension":13,"meta":342,"navigation":21,"path":343,"rawbody":344,"seo":345,"sitemap":346,"stem":347,"tags":348,"__hash__":352},"news\u002Fnews\u002Ffeds-order-caiso-to-speed-power-for-ai-data-centers-pg-e-says-developers-pay.md","Feds order CAISO to speed power for AI data centers; PG&E says developers pay",false,"CVAI Newsdesk",{"type":7,"value":241,"toc":333},[242,246,250,266,269,272,275,278,282,285,289,292,295,299,302,305,320,323,327],[243,244,237],"h1",{"id":245},"feds-order-caiso-to-speed-power-for-ai-data-centers-pge-says-developers-pay",[61,247,249],{"id":248},"key-takeaways","Key Takeaways",[251,252,253,257,260,263],"ol",{},[254,255,256],"li",{},"FERC ordered all six U.S. grid operators, including CAISO, to reform or defend large‑load hookup rules within 60 days.",[254,258,259],{},"The order aims to connect AI data centers faster while keeping states in charge of retail rates.",[254,261,262],{},"PG&E says data center developers must pay for needed upgrades in the Valley, not regular customers.",[254,264,265],{},"A 100 MW data center is planned at NAS Lemoore in Kings County, illustrating regional stakes.",[66,267,268],{},"A hundred megawatts. That’s the planned load for a Navy‑backed, AI‑optimized data center at NAS Lemoore in Kings County, big enough to power a small city by itself.",[66,270,271],{},"Federal regulators moved Thursday to clear a path for more projects like it. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission told the nation’s six regional grid operators, including the California Independent System Operator, to either justify their existing rules for connecting very large customers or propose fixes within 60 days. A separate 30‑day report is due on how each operator will ensure enough generation to serve new big loads. CAISO is on that list.",[66,273,274],{},"Sixty days to answer.",[66,276,277],{},"The order tracks the Trump administration’s push to speed power to energy‑hungry AI data centers, but it keeps states in charge of retail rates, terms and conditions. That distinction matters in California, where the CPUC and local utilities manage how customer costs are assigned.",[61,279,281],{"id":280},"what-changes-for-california","What changes for California",[66,283,284],{},"CAISO says data centers are the single largest new use case among “large loads,” and the state’s energy planners see the demand curve rising. As of January 2026, the California Energy Commission forecast data center load on the CAISO grid to increase by 1.8 gigawatts by 2030 and 4.9 GW by 2040. FERC’s order names CAISO directly and asks for reforms that speed studies, prevent cost‑shifts, and accommodate projects that bring their own generation or can curtail during grid stress.",[61,286,288],{"id":287},"why-it-matters-in-the-valley","Why it matters in the Valley",[66,290,291],{},"Fresno, Kern and Kings counties sit on major transmission corridors and have land where developers are already kicking tires. PG&E’s local spokesperson Jeff Smith told ABC30 in February that data center operators must cover the cost of new infrastructure up front, so other customers aren’t on the hook. That stance aligns with proposals from utilities elsewhere that large loads pay for the upgrades they trigger.",[66,293,294],{},"Kings County has the 100 MW NAS Lemoore plan on deck. In Kern County’s Indian Wells Valley, a separate proposal has drawn questions from residents about water and air impacts tied to backup generators. Those debates show what CAISO and local utilities will juggle as applicants chase power, land and water.",[61,296,298],{"id":297},"what-to-watch-next","What to watch next",[66,300,301],{},"CAISO now has two clocks running, a 30‑day report on generation adequacy for large loads and a 60‑day filing to defend or change tariff rules. The agency has already launched a “large loads” initiative that lays out who studies what, and it points to the CEC forecast as a planning anchor. How those filings land will shape where and how quickly developers try to plug into the Valley’s grid. The rattle of rooftop chillers behind a tilt‑up in north Fresno is faint, but you can hear it.",[66,303,304],{},"\"Those who are going to essentially benefit financially from the data center should be the ones to fund the necessary infrastructure,\" Smith said.",[66,306,307],{},[308,309,310,311,313,314,319],"em",{},"Central Valley AI is produced by the ",[70,312,239],{}," team and developed by ",[315,316,37],"a",{"href":38,"rel":317},[318],"nofollow",", a regional firm that builds, deploys, and integrates AI solutions for businesses across California's Central Valley.",[321,322],"hr",{},[61,324,326],{"id":325},"source","Source",[66,328,329],{},[315,330,331],{"href":331,"rel":332},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.yourcentralvalley.com\u002Fnews\u002Fpolitics\u002Fap-federal-regulators-back-trumps-plan-to-speed-power-to-energy-hungry-ai-data-centers\u002Famp\u002F",[318],{"title":10,"searchDepth":11,"depth":11,"links":334},[335,336,337,338,339],{"id":248,"depth":11,"text":249},{"id":280,"depth":11,"text":281},{"id":287,"depth":11,"text":288},{"id":297,"depth":11,"text":298},{"id":325,"depth":11,"text":326},"2026-06-21","FERC told California’s grid operator to justify or change its large‑load hookup rules within 60 days, citing AI demand. Locally, PG&E says developers, not ratepayers, will fund new infrastructure, and a 100 MW NAS Lemoore project shows what’s coming.",{},"\u002Fnews\u002Ffeds-order-caiso-to-speed-power-for-ai-data-centers-pg-e-says-developers-pay","---\nauthor: CVAI Newsdesk\ndate: 2026-06-21\ndateModified: '2026-06-21'\ndescription: FERC told California’s grid operator to justify or change its large‑load\n  hookup rules within 60 days, citing AI demand. Locally, PG&E says developers, not\n  ratepayers, will fund new infrastructure, and a 100 MW NAS Lemoore project shows\n  what’s coming.\ntags:\n- policy\n- energy\n- central valley\ntitle: Feds order CAISO to speed power for AI data centers; PG&E says developers pay\n---\n\n# Feds order CAISO to speed power for AI data centers; PG&E says developers pay\n\n## Key Takeaways\n\n1. FERC ordered all six U.S. grid operators, including CAISO, to reform or defend large‑load hookup rules within 60 days.\n2. The order aims to connect AI data centers faster while keeping states in charge of retail rates.\n3. PG&E says data center developers must pay for needed upgrades in the Valley, not regular customers.\n4. A 100 MW data center is planned at NAS Lemoore in Kings County, illustrating regional stakes.\n\nA hundred megawatts. That’s the planned load for a Navy‑backed, AI‑optimized data center at NAS Lemoore in Kings County, big enough to power a small city by itself.\n\nFederal regulators moved Thursday to clear a path for more projects like it. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission told the nation’s six regional grid operators, including the California Independent System Operator, to either justify their existing rules for connecting very large customers or propose fixes within 60 days. A separate 30‑day report is due on how each operator will ensure enough generation to serve new big loads. CAISO is on that list.\n\nSixty days to answer.\n\nThe order tracks the Trump administration’s push to speed power to energy‑hungry AI data centers, but it keeps states in charge of retail rates, terms and conditions. That distinction matters in California, where the CPUC and local utilities manage how customer costs are assigned.\n\n## What changes for California\n\nCAISO says data centers are the single largest new use case among “large loads,” and the state’s energy planners see the demand curve rising. As of January 2026, the California Energy Commission forecast data center load on the CAISO grid to increase by 1.8 gigawatts by 2030 and 4.9 GW by 2040. FERC’s order names CAISO directly and asks for reforms that speed studies, prevent cost‑shifts, and accommodate projects that bring their own generation or can curtail during grid stress.\n\n## Why it matters in the Valley\n\nFresno, Kern and Kings counties sit on major transmission corridors and have land where developers are already kicking tires. PG&E’s local spokesperson Jeff Smith told ABC30 in February that data center operators must cover the cost of new infrastructure up front, so other customers aren’t on the hook. That stance aligns with proposals from utilities elsewhere that large loads pay for the upgrades they trigger.\n\nKings County has the 100 MW NAS Lemoore plan on deck. In Kern County’s Indian Wells Valley, a separate proposal has drawn questions from residents about water and air impacts tied to backup generators. Those debates show what CAISO and local utilities will juggle as applicants chase power, land and water.\n\n## What to watch next\n\nCAISO now has two clocks running, a 30‑day report on generation adequacy for large loads and a 60‑day filing to defend or change tariff rules. The agency has already launched a “large loads” initiative that lays out who studies what, and it points to the CEC forecast as a planning anchor. How those filings land will shape where and how quickly developers try to plug into the Valley’s grid. The rattle of rooftop chillers behind a tilt‑up in north Fresno is faint, but you can hear it.\n\n\"Those who are going to essentially benefit financially from the data center should be the ones to fund the necessary infrastructure,\" Smith said.\n\n*Central Valley AI is produced by the **CVAI Newsdesk** team and developed by [Kaweah Tech](https:\u002F\u002Fkaweah.tech), a regional firm that builds, deploys, and integrates AI solutions for businesses across California's Central Valley.*\n\n---\n\n## Source\n\nhttps:\u002F\u002Fwww.yourcentralvalley.com\u002Fnews\u002Fpolitics\u002Fap-federal-regulators-back-trumps-plan-to-speed-power-to-energy-hungry-ai-data-centers\u002Famp\u002F\n",{"title":237,"description":341},{"loc":343},"news\u002Ffeds-order-caiso-to-speed-power-for-ai-data-centers-pg-e-says-developers-pay",[349,350,351],"policy","energy","central valley","TtpLMaEdR4XNL9g3_BA3nv9MSe2dZ766TivbaqvfHNM",1782158311026]