SB 971

Bill Subjects

Abstract

Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has regulatory authority over public utilities, including electrical corporations, as defined, while local publicly owned electric utilities, as defined, are under the direction of their governing board. The existing Renewables Portfolio Standard Program (RPS program) requires a retail seller of electricity, as defined, and local publicly owned electric utilities to purchase specified minimum quantities of electricity products from eligible renewable energy resources, as defined, for specified compliance periods. The specified minimum quantities of electricity products are based upon a percentage of the utility's total retail sales of electricity in California. This bill would revise the RPS program so that the specified minimum quantities of electricity products required to be procured are based upon a percentage of the utility's net program retail sales of electricity in California. The bill would define "net program retail sales" of electricity as being the total retail sales of electricity by the retail seller or local publicly owned electric utility within California, minus those retail sales where the load was met by noneligible hydroelectric generation, as defined. The Renewable Energy Resources Program states the intent of the Legislature to increase the amount of electricity generated from eligible renewable energy resources per year so that amount equals at least 33% of total retail sales of electricity in California per year by December 31, 2020. This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to increase the amount of electricity generated from eligible renewable energy resources per year so that amount equals at least 33% of net program retail sales of electricity in California per year by December 31, 2020.