AB 1941

Bill Subjects

Abstract

Existing law establishes the California Renewables Portfolio Standard Program, which requires the Public Utilities Commission to implement annual procurement targets for the procurement of eligible renewable energy resources, as defined, for all retail sellers, as defined, and requires local publicly owned electric utilities to adopt and implement a renewable energy resources procurement plan to achieve the targets and goals of the program. Eligible renewable energy resources include small hydroelectric generation facilities of 30 megawatts or less that meet specified criteria. Existing law states that it is the policy of the state that eligible renewable energy resources and zero-carbon resources supply 100% of retail sales of electricity to California end-use customers and 100% of electricity procured to serve all state agencies by December 31, 2045. This bill would revise the definition of an eligible renewable energy resource for the purposes of the California Renewables Portfolio Standard Program to include all hydroelectric generating facilities in operation as of January 1, 2021, and nuclear electric generating facilities and would make conforming changes. This bill would suspend the requirements of the program and the state policy that are applicable to retail sellers. The bill would terminate the suspensions if the commission makes unspecified factual determinations and issues an order reinstating those requirements. The bill would require the commission to determine the amount saved by an electrical corporation due to the suspension and would require the electrical corporation to expend that amount to improve its transmission and distribution infrastructure to minimize the risk of wildfire ignition. The bill would require the commission to require retail sellers to maintain their procurement levels of bioenergy products under the agreements in effect as of December 31, 2020, for the duration of the suspension. The bill would prohibit electrical corporations from increasing the salaries of, or providing bonuses to, their executive officers during the suspension of the program's requirements. 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 this bill would be a part of the act and because a violation of an order or decision of the commission implementing its 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.