California cut coal from its energy supply. Why it might plug back into fossil fuels

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California spent decades building one of the greenest power grids on Earth.

It ditched coal, cut fossil fuels, and built so much solar it now runs the world’s second-largest battery fleet to keep clean power flowing after dark.

Now lawmakers are poised to tie that grid to coal-burning states.

With electricity prices rising and pressure to keep the lights on, California is racing to create an expanded power market with other Western utilities to trade vast amounts of electricity. An expanded market could include climate-aligned states such as Oregon and Washington but potentially also coal-burning ones such as Wyoming, Utah and New Mexico.

Supporters said the proposal cuts costs and keeps the grid stable by letting