Pathfinder Communications, Community Choice Aggregation (CCA), and the Middle Mile released a joint report quantifying the benefits of investing $3.2 billion in 5.4 GW of community-scale solar and storage projects to bypass California's transmission gridlock. The study found that these localized projects could reduce electricity prices by $4.2 billion while eliminating the need for $2 billion in transmission and distribution upgrades. By leveraging existing local networks, the initiative aims to cut out-of-state electricity imports by 13% and reduce reliance on the state's vulnerable transmission system by 2%. The deployment is projected to curb greenhouse gas emissions by 1.8% by reducing the need for natural gas generation during peak demand. The report highlights that 25 CCAs, serving one-third of California's electricity consumers, provide the necessary scale to stabilize these 'middle mile' markets.