This Long Beach startup says it has a patch for California's power problems

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Many companies in California struggle to get enough electricity to power their growing businesses.One Long Beach startup just raised $26 million for what it says is a quick fix for that problem.There are limits on how much power each company can draw from the public power grid so fast-growing industries can’t just crank up their consumption whenever they want.

For uninterrupted supply, they sometimes have to wait for local utilities to build capacity, which can take years.Critical Loop — an energy tech company based in an office overlooking the Long Beach airport — has already landed major clients and investors with its power management controller.

It helps companies get more power when they need it and save money by seamlessly switching between the public grid, batteries and their on-site solar panels and generators.The company is thriving in California because there is so much unmet need for power, Critical Loop Chief Executive Bala Ramamurthy told The Times.“The amount of power-hungry industries here in L.A., especially across ports, logistics and manufacturing, is significant,” he said.

“California is at the center of many of the grid challenges we’re solving.”The company announced Tuesday that it has raised $26 million, bringing its total funding to $49 million.The funding was led by Conifer Infrastructure Partners and Hanover.

The startup did not disclose its valuation.It plans to use the money to power sites beyond California, expanding into sites such as data centers and advanced robotics warehouses.It says it can bring more power to companies much sooner than others, in days or weeks, rather than waiting years for utilities to upgrade local substation and expand capacity.Founded in 2023, the startups team has grown from eight to 35 people in the past year, with hires from SpaceX, Palantir and Tesla.

The team works out of Donald Douglas Drive in Long B...