California candidate proposes free two-hour daily power to cut bills

During a Tuesday event, Xavier Becerra introduced a proposal that would provide two consecutive hours of complimentary electricity each day to qualifying low-income Californians. The scheme is intended to encourage users to run appliances during midday, when solar generation is abundant, thereby reducing peak-load pressure on the grid. Becerra suggested the program could be operational in his inaugural year, working alongside the state public utilities commission.

He noted that existing assistance programs could be redirected to fund the new incentive. However, consumer-advocacy groups cautioned that without careful design, the plan might lead to higher charges during off-peak periods. The proposal arrives amid a statewide surge in energy costs, which have risen 39% over six years, the steepest increase among U.S. states.