Washington (Platts)--6May2009

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on Tuesday said his state was
the first to submit a formal plan to the US Department of Energy on how it
wants to spend $226 million in economic stimulus funding aimed at energy
efficiency measures.

California would receive the funding, the highest level of any state,
under DOE's State Energy Program. Overall, DOE intends to distribute $3.1
billion of American Reinvestment and Recovery Act funding among states for the
program, which is meant to support state renewable energy and energy
efficiency programs.

DOE already has announced how much it would like to distribute to each
state, based on population and energy consumption, and set a deadline of May
12 for states to submit a plan on how they will spend the funds.

"We are meeting and exceeding federal guidelines every day -- and
Californians can rest assured that the state is doing everything in its power
to put Recovery Act funding to work to create jobs," Schwarzenegger said in a
statement.

Much of the funding will go toward upgrading energy efficiency and clean
energy systems in buildings and that $195.8 million could create more than
2,100 jobs, said a statement from the state.

In addition, California intends to spend $20 million of the stimulus
funding in educational and other efforts to create a "green" workforce to work
with energy efficiency, renewable energy and alternative fuels.

--Derek Sands, derek_sands@platts.com