SB 1215: Electrical corporations: electric vehicle charging stations: multifamily housing properties.

Existing law vests the Public Utilities Commission with regulatory authority over public utilities, including electrical corporations. Existing law requires each electrical corporation, not later than February 28, 2021, to file an advice letter for, and requires the commission, not later than June 30, 2021, to approve, a new tariff or rule that authorizes each electrical corporation to design and deploy all electrical distribution infrastructure on the utility side of the customers meter for all customers installing separately metered infrastructure to support charging stations, other than those in single-family residences. Existing law requires the advice letter and the commissions approval to provide that costs incurred by the electrical corporation between January 1, 2021, and the implementation date of rates approved in the next general rate case decision for that electrical corporation, to be tracked in a memorandum account and recovered, subject to a reasonableness review, in the decision adopting the next general rate case revenue requirement for that electrical corporation. Existing law authorizes the commission to revise the policy after the completion of the general rate case cycle of the electrical corporation following the one during which the advice letter was filed if a determination is made that a change in the policy is necessary to ensure just and reasonable rates for ratepayers. commission to establish strategies and quantifiable metrics to maximize the use of feasible and cost-effective electric vehicle grid integration, as defined, by January 1, 2030, as specified.

This bill would require the commission, on or before March 1, 2027, to direct establish targets for each electrical corporations corporation to submit Tier 3 advice letters to install electric vehicle charging stations and associated equipment and facilities at multifamily housing, with certain parameters, including, among other things, a requirement that each electrical corporation install enough electric vehicle charging stations, on or before December 31, 2037, to at least triple the amount of electric vehicle charging stations in existence, as of January 1, 2027, at multifamily housing in its service territory, and a requirement that housing properties. The bill would require the commission to ensure the targets reduce costs for all ratepayers, and to require electrical corporations to make annual progress reports and to provide to the commission corresponding maps that identify the proposed multifamily housing properties within its service territory where use will be highest based on distribution system planning and experience with electric vehicle charging station infrastructure. The bill would require the commission, in establishing the targets, to determine whether to impose certain requirements on an electrical corporation, including a requirement that an electrical corporation recover all costs, to the extent not covered by nonratepayer funding, for deploying the electric vehicle charging stations and associated equipment and facilities, stations, including the costs for administration and implementation and for equipment, installation, and maintenance on the customer side of the meter, implementation, as operations and maintenance costs rather than as capital costs.

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 provisions of the bill would be a part of the act and therefore a violation of the bills requirements, or 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.