On July 31, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) unanimously approved aggressive new energy efficiency goals for the state’s investor-owned utilities through the year 2020. Working in cooperation with the California Air Resources Board and California Energy Commission, the CPUC will seek to achieve the aggressive targets primarily through energy saving utility programs and strengthened building and appliance standards. The new efficiency targets, which will also save customers money on their utility bills, will have the practical effect of avoiding the construction of 12 new power plants and reducing global warming pollution equivalent to taking 2.4 million cars off the road from now until 2020. Audrey Chang, Director of NRDC’s California Climate Program, and Lara Ettenson, Energy Policy Analyst, led NRDC’s advocacy in the CPUC proceeding to develop the new long-term energy savings goals, which will be a key contributor to meeting AB 32.