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Bills

SB 370: Energy: solar storms.

  • Session Year: 2017-2018
  • House: Senate
  • Latest Version Date: 2017-09-08
Version:

Existing law provides for the establishment of an Independent System Operator (ISO) as a nonprofit public benefit corporation. Existing law requires the ISO, in order to ensure the reliability of electric service and the health and safety of the public, to manage the transmission grid and related energy markets in a manner that is consistent with specified goals, including making the most efficient use of available energy resources and maximizing availability of existing electric generation resources necessary to meet the needs of the states electricity consumers. Existing law requires the ISO to, among other things, consult and coordinate with appropriate state and local agencies to ensure that it operates in furtherance of state law regarding consumer and environmental protection.

This bill would declare the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation that will protect California ratepayers, businesses, and infrastructure from a catastrophe such as the Carrington Storm and would make various findings and declarations relating to the Carrington storm, solar storms, and energy.

(1)Existing law requires the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission (Energy Commission) to develop and implement a comprehensive program to achieve greater energy savings in existing residential and nonresidential building stock. Existing law requires the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to investigate the ability of electrical corporations and gas corporations to provide various energy efficiency financing options to their customers for the purposes of implementing the program developed by the Energy Commission. Existing law requires the PUC, by September 1, 2016, to authorize electrical corporations and gas corporations to provide financial incentives, rebates, technical assistance, and support to their customers to increase the energy efficiency of existing buildings, as specified. This bill would require the PUC to authorize electrical corporations and gas corporations to also provide those services to their customers to increase the energy efficiency of existing processes, systems, and equipment. The bill would require the PUC, on or before September 1, 2018, to authorize electrical corporations and gas corporations to also provide those services to their customers to increase the energy efficiency of industrial and agricultural facilities, systems, and equipment, as specified.(2)Decisions of the PUC require electrical and gas corporations to estimate the energy savings derived from energy efficiency projects and submit those estimates to the PUC for review and approval. The PUCs review and approval process is known as ex ante review.This bill would prohibit the PUC from reviewing the energy savings of specified energy efficiency projects for which the PUC has authorized electrical corporations or gas corporations to provide financial incentives, rebates, technical assistance, or support, except as provided.

Discussed in Hearing

Senate Standing Committee on Appropriations48MIN
May 25, 2017

Senate Standing Committee on Appropriations

Senate Standing Committee on Appropriations30SEC
May 15, 2017

Senate Standing Committee on Appropriations

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SB 370: Energy: solar storms. | Digital Democracy