Bill Requiring Backup Power at Fire Stations Held in Committee

Assembly Bill 944 (Irwin, D-Thousand Oaks) was held in the Assembly Appropriations Committee on May 18th.  The bill would have required all fire stations to have backup power resources capable of powering the facility for 96 hours during a power outage.  Energy reliability has declined significantly in many parts of the state over the last few years as a result of Public Safety Power Shutoff and Fast Trip outages.   

While supportive of efforts to increase energy resiliency of critical facilities like fire stations, RCRC and others expressed concerns about the expected $100,000 cost to upgrade each facility, including volunteer fire stations.  

For more information about AB 944, contact RCRC Policy Advocate, John Kennedy.