Campus News
Building a more reliable power future
The campus has taken important steps to strengthen power resiliency and reduce the disruption that unexpected outages can cause.
Reliable electrical infrastructure is essential for everything that happens at UC Santa Cruz — teaching and research, dining and housing, and supporting the daily needs of thousands of students, faculty, and staff. Over the past year, the campus has taken important steps to strengthen power resiliency and reduce the disruption that unexpected outages can cause, especially during the winter rainy season.
The university relies on Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) for its day-to-day power needs. The main residential campus also has an established backup system that provides continuity of power to select buildings during outages. Our cogeneration plant, along with building generators, supplies electricity to various facilities when PG&E power is unavailable.
Ongoing partnership with PG&E
Campus leadership and engineers continue to meet regularly with PG&E to review the quality of power being delivered to campus and ensure compliance with regulatory standards. These discussions are critical to identifying both immediate fixes and long-term infrastructure improvements.
Microgrid development
New microgrid systems— localized, self-contained electrical grids that can operate independently from the larger utility grid—are advancing at several UCSC locations:
- Projects are now under construction at the Monterey Bay Education, Science and Technology (MBEST) Center and the Emergency Response Center.
- Westside Research Park (WRP) is moving forward in pre-design, following extensive planning.
- Main Campus Battery Microgrid: Concept development has begun, with pre-design activities expected in early 2026.
The campus is also conducting a review of its power protection relay system to ensure the design and settings align with current best practices for reliability and protection. The review is expected to be completed by the end of 2025..
These systems are designed to provide backup power during outages and increase overall reliability, while also serving as models for sustainable energy solutions.
Strengthening student housing and campus systems
Power interruptions continue to affect the main campus throughout the year, often triggered by equipment issues or limits in the power feeding into UCSC. Reducing both the frequency and impact of these outages remains a key focus. The campus is pursuing both short-term and long-term strategies to increase our resilience, though we should anticipate possible power disruptions, especially as we experience heavy storms and other severe weather events.
Several upgrades have already been made over the past year:
Earlier this month, PG&E replaced a section of underground feeder and installed a new switch to serve both the Slug Substation and the new family-student housing complex on Hagar. This upgrade enhances the resiliency of student and employee housing, as well as the surrounding area.
At the cogeneration plant, a major upgrade took place this summer with the replacement of the engine and gearbox, both of which had reached the end of their recommended service life. To further support operations, a sixth plant operator has joined the team, expanding coverage and strengthening our ability to conduct timely maintenance and repairs.
Looking ahead
The Power Resiliency Working Group develops strategies to strengthen campus equipment, buildings, and systems. This past year, it updated campus design guidelines to require greater redundancy and reliability in new projects. The group is preparing to assess ten critical research labs to ensure their power, mechanical, and plumbing systems are resilient enough to protect high-value research operations.