The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) on Thursday voted unanimously to increase the amount of natural gas stored at the Aliso Canyon Natural Gas Storage Facility in Los Angeles County to 41 Bcf to provide adequate winter supplies for gas and electric customers.

Aliso

The decision, said regulators, allows Aliso operator Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) to “meet the existing needs and maintain energy reliability in the Los Angeles Basin while the CPUC continues to consider what actions, resources and infrastructure are needed to close the facility.”

CPUC has been reviewing whether to close Aliso for several months.

In approving the proposal of assigned Commissioner Martha Guzman Aceves, the CPUC set the amount of working gas storage capacity in the field to an...