Housing & Development · Lake County
FLASHES Microgrid Feasibility Studies Launch Across Lake County Communities
Representatives from PG&E, Trane Technologies and community leaders gathered in Hidden Valley Lake earlier in October to mark the start of three feasibility studies for hydroelectric microgrids serving Middletown, Hartley (North Lakeport) and Lucerne. The FLASHES project would use solar-powered pumps to move water between tanks during the day and generate electricity at night, providing more than 24 hours of stored energy during outages and improving wildfire suppression capabilities. The studies are funded by a Bipartisan Infrastructure Act grant requiring no local funding, though full construction could cost $150–$180 million. Lake County supervisors voiced concerns about the Lucerne microgrid in an August board meeting, and environmental impact reports will take several years before any construction decision.