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Bills

AB 1975: Electrical corporations: grid utilization metric.

  • Session Year: 2025-2026
  • House: Assembly
  • Latest Version Date: 2026-03-03

Current Status:

In Progress

(2026-03-04: Re-referred to Com. on U. & E.)

Introduced

In Committee

First Chamber

In Committee

Second Chamber

Enacted

Version:

Existing law vests the Public Utilities Commission with regulatory authority over public utilities, including electrical corporations. Existing law authorizes the commission to fix the rates and charges for every public utility and requires that those rates and charges be just and reasonable.

This bill would require the commission, on or before December 31, 2027, to establish a grid utilization metric that calculates electrical load as a percentage of rated capacity, as specified. The bill would require each large electrical corporation, each calendar quarter, to submit a publicly available report to the commission with the results of the large electrical corporations grid utilization metric calculations, as specified. The bill would require the commission to annually establish a minimum value for the grid utilization metric within each large electrical corporations distribution grid, and would require that the grid utilization metric minimum value increase annually, as provided. The bill would require the commission to establish financial performance-based incentives or disincentives correlated with achieving the grid utilization metric minimum value, as specified, and would require each large electrical corporation, on or before July 31, 2028, to propose grid utilization programs to achieve the grid utilization metric minimum value, as specified.

Under existing law, a violation of the Public Utilities Act or any order, decision, rule, direction, demand, or requirement of the commission is a crime.

Because the above-described provisions would be part of the act and a violation of a commission action implementing the bills requirements would be a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

The Public Utilities Act vests the Public Utilities Commission with regulatory authority over public utilities, including electrical and gas corporations. Existing law authorizes the commission, after a hearing, to make and serve an order directing additions, extensions, repairs, improvements, or other changes to be made to an existing plant, equipment, apparatus, facilities, or other physical property of a public utility, if it makes certain findings. Existing law requires that the commission, as a basis for making any such order relating to the location of structures, give consideration to, and include in its order, findings on community values, recreation and park areas, historical and aesthetic values, and, except as specified, influence on the environment.This bill would require that the commission, as a basis for making an order relating to the location of structures, also give consideration to, and include in its order, findings on anticipated maintenance costs.Under existing law, a violation of any order, decision, rule, direction, demand, or requirement of the commission is a crime.Because a violation of a commission action implementing this bills requirements would be a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

News Coverage:

AB 1975: Electrical corporations: grid utilization metric. | Digital Democracy