Bill > SB567

This bill establishes the Gravity-Based Energy Storage Well Pilot Program, which allows the State Oil and Gas Supervisor to convert up to 250 idle or abandoned wells into energy storage facilities that generate electricity by raising and lowering weights within well casings. The program, which will run until January 1, 2035, requires strict safety and monitoring protocols, including annual mechanical integrity assessments, continuous fluid leak monitoring, and immediate notification to state agencies and local communities if any mechanical issues or leaks occur. Wells must be fully plugged, isolated from hydrocarbon reservoirs, and meet specific technical requirements to be eligible. Operators must use prevailing wage workers and ensure skilled labor during well conversions. By January 1, 2033, the Secretary for Environmental Protection must evaluate the pilot program and recommend a long-term framework for regulating gravity-based energy storage wells, considering factors like environmental impact, regulatory parameters, and renewable energy generation potential. The bill aims to repurpose existing well infrastructure for clean energy storage while maintaining rigorous safety standards and environmental protections.

Agriculture and Natural Resources, Budget and Finance

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB567