California’s battery energy storage fleet has surpassed 21,000 megawatts, making it one of the largest in the world, according to the California Energy Commission.

Total battery storage capacity stands at 21,112 MW, an increase of more than 2,500% in seven and a half years from less than 700 MW when Governor Gavin Newsom took office in 2019. The capacity now equals roughly one-third of statewide peak demand.

Nearly 16,000 MW comes from 310 utility-scale battery systems inside California, with another 2,000 MW from facilities in Nevada and Arizona connected to the CAISO grid. Around 3,000 MW sits in more than 300,000 smaller systems at homes, schools, farms and businesses.

The batteries are already reshaping the grid: for the first time, Californians drew more electricity from solar than from natural gas during the first half of 2026, according to the American Public Power Association.

Newsom highlighted the milestone while unveiling a new zero-emission vehicle rebate program, contrasting California’s clean energy buildout with Washington’s fossil fuel policies.