July 02, 2026
Op-ed by Arcata Vice Mayor Stacy Atkins Salazar
Frist published in the Mad River Union, newspaper in Acata
A cross Humboldt County, families and businesses are feeling the squeeze of rising costs. Despite attempts to conserve and cut back, people open their PG&E bills and wonder why they keep climbing.
Small business owners struggle to absorb higher utility costs while trying to keep their doors open and prices affordable for their customers.
At the same time, rising gas prices continue to put pressure on household budgets, making it more expensive to get to work, take children to school, or simply run every day errands.
These challenges affect people regardless of their political views. They are kitchen table issues that impact working families, seniors on fixed incomes, and local businesses alike.
This is why California’s energy conservation should focus not only on climate change, but also on affordability and reliability. As our state continues to electrify transportation, homes and businesses, the demand for electricity will only grow.
So where will that electricity come from, and how can we keep it affordable?
Offshore wind is often discussed as a climate solution. It is that. But for many Californians struggling with rising utility bills, it is also something else: an affordability solution.
One of the most effective ways to lower costs over the long term is to increase the supply of electricity. When energy supply is constrained, prices rise. Adding new sources of electricity helps increase competition, reduce dependence on more expensive fuels, and put downward pressure on long-term energy costs.
For those who are skeptical, we don’t have to guess whether offshore wind can help lower energy costs. Countries across Northern Europe have been using offshore wind for decades, and numerous studies have found that adding wind generation reduces wholesale electricity prices by decreasing reliance on more expensive fuel sources.
In the United Kingdom, wind power is estimated to have reduced energy costs by more than £100 billion since 2010. Closer to home, Massachusetts is already seeing benefits from offshore wind, including lower energy prices, job creation, and reliable power. While California’s energy system differs from those in the U.K. and New England, the lesson is the same: increasing electricity supply helps protect consumers from rising costs.
Here on the North Coast of California, we face an additional challenge. Our transmission system is already operating near its limits. We have heard for years that new housing, new businesses and new economic opportunities are constrained by the amount of electricity our region can deliver.
If we want to grow our economy, support new industries, electrify transportation and meet future energy demand, we need additional sources of power and the infrastructure to deliver it.
Offshore wind is not without challenges, and it is important to acknowledge that.
Any major infrastructure project brings potential impacts, and we must work together to understand them, minimize them where possible and develop this resource responsibly.
If we are serious about making electricity more affordable, strengthening our energy security and meeting California’s growing energy needs, offshore wind should be part of the solution.
