This weekly newsletter highlights the latest from the California Energy Journal along with links to articles and analysis on key developments in California energy policy.
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From the California Energy Journal
Trump Directs Federal Financial Support to Increase Energy Production (April 23, 2026) – President Donald Trump invoked the Defense Production Act (DPA) to direct federal support toward oil, gas, coal, and electric grid infrastructure through a series of presidential determinations on April 20, 2026. The determinations authorize the U.S. Department of Energy to deploy loans, purchase commitments, and other financial tools to accelerate project development and address what the administration described as “financing risks, regulatory delays, and market barriers.” Read more.
Additional California News and Analysis
Oil and gas
A new study from California State University, Bakersfield found that the oil and gas industry continues to contribute significantly to Kern County’s economy despite declining production. Bakersfield Californian, April 24, 2026. CEEF Report.
Gasoline and fuels
Chevron warned it may exit California refining within a decade without policy changes, MSN, April 25, 2026.
State lawmakers sent a letter to the California Energy Commission urging immediate state action to address California’s fuel supply constraints and rising prices, warning of a worsening energy crisis. New York Post, April 23, 2026.
Commentary and analysis
Jordan Blum, “California’s oil and jet fuel supply is getting slammed by a perfect storm of unfortunate timing—and help is years away,” Fortune, April 24, 2026.
Robert McCullough, “The solution to high gas prices is using less oil, not delaying California’s climate programs,” Cal Matters, April 23, 2026.
“Price-gouging isn’t causing high gas prices,” Las Vegas Review-Journal, April 26, 2026.
Podcast: “California is on Life Support”– Michael Mische, USC. Veriten, April 21, 2026.
Thomas J. Pyle, “Governor Newsom Must Take Accountability for High Energy Costs,” Institute for Energy Research, April 22, 2026.
Suzette Valladares, “How California caused its own energy crisis,” New York Post, April 21, 2026.
David Blackmon, “A Self-Imposed Energy Crisis Looms In California,” Forbes, Apr 23, 2026.
Wind and solar
The California Energy Commission approved the Soda Mountain Solar Project under its Opt-In Certification program to accelerate clean energy permitting, citing grid reliability, job creation, and new investment. CEC, April 27, 2026.
California’s rooftop solar policy faces continued litigation, with a second appeal filed challenging California’s net metering changes. PV Magazine, April 21, 2026.
Climate and emissions
Governor Gavin Newsom announced California will join the International Union for Conservation of Nature, a major international environmental coalition, positioning the state in opposition to the direction of federal climate policy. Office of Governor Gavin Newsom, April 24, 2026.
Analysts warn California’s carbon pricing system may face a “stress test” under current market conditions. Haas Energy Institute, April 27, 2026.
A group of Democrats in the state Assembly and Senate sent a letter to California Air Resources Board Chair Lauren Sanchez to urge the agency to “amend their Cap-and-Invest proposal to push back on pressure from an oil industry that is making hundreds of billions in wartime profits.”
Commentary and analysis
John Yoo and Michael Toth, “California is sacrificing its economic future on the altar of climate change,” New York Post, April 26, 2026.
Power and utilities
New data from California’s Demand-Side Grid Support program shows more than 203,000 sites participated in 2025, with the highest concentration in the Inland Empire, Central Valley, and San Diego—not traditionally high-income coastal regions. Politico, April 21, 2026. 2035 Initiative.
Commentary and analysis
Benjy Sachs, “California’s Public Utility Commission President Talks Affordability With Heatmap,” Heatmap, April 23, 2026.
Data centers and AI
Opposition to a large AI data center project in Imperial County escalated into a recall effort targeting a county supervisor who supported preliminary approvals. Politico, April 22, 2026.
Nuclear
Commentary and analysis
Paige Lambermont, “Ensuring Power Reliability in California: Why the Nuclear Ban Must Go,” The Independent Institute, April 21, 2026
Legislation
The California Assembly Natural Resources Committee advanced AB 2461, which would require any company that acquires control of an oil well to notify the supervisor of the operation and to file with the supervisor an indemnity bond in an amount determined by the supervisor to be sufficient to cover, in full, all costs of plugging and abandonment, decommissioning the facility, and site restoration, as provided.
Additional News and Analysis
Oil and gas
The Trump administration is creating a new agency, the Marine Minerals Administration, by reunifying two offices that had been split up after the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in an effort to increase environmental oversight of the energy industry and prevent future oil disasters. Critics say could weaken the environmental oversight of oil drilling and seabed mining in territorial waters. New York Times, April 23, 2026.
Renewable energy
Record global solar growth meant clean power sources grew fast enough to meet all new electricity demand in 2025, thereby preventing an increase in fossil generation. Ember Global Electricity Review 2026, April 21, 2026.
Critical minerals
U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said allies may need to pay a “national security premium” for critical minerals sourced outside China. Reuters, April 22, 2026.