California Energy Commission to Vote on Five-Year Delay of Fuel Profit Cap Amid Newsom’s Pump-Price Plan and Data Center Power Strain

The California Energy Commission is scheduled to vote on Friday on whether to delay the implementation of a profit cap on fuel refiners by five years. This postponement represents a notable win for the oil industry, as the profit cap was intended to limit refiner margins and prevent spikes in pump prices. Governor Gavin Newsom's plan to prevent fuel price surges faces this delay amid concerns over the state's energy policies. Critics argue that California's current energy framework is outdated, treating energy as a scarce commodity to be rationed rather than expanded. The strain on California's power grid, exacerbated by the growth of data centers, underscores the need for increased energy capacity. Meanwhile, federal initiatives are supporting the expansion of energy infrastructure, including the development of large reactors, small modular reactors, and microreactors to bolster energy independence and support AI data centers.