AB 3264

Bill Subjects

Energy Cost Framework Demand-Side Management Programs Report Electrical Transmission Grid Study Residential Rates

Abstract

Existing law vests the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) with regulatory authority over public utilities, including electrical corporations and gas corporations. This bill would require the PUC, in consultation with the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission (Energy Commission) , to develop a framework for assessing, tracking, and analyzing total annual energy costs paid by residential households in California, as specified. The bill would authorize the PUC to use the framework for purposes of evaluating any request by an electrical corporation and gas corporation to track new spending eligible for recovery or to adjust a revenue requirement. The bill would require the PUC to submit a report to the Legislature containing the framework and certain information. The bill would require large electrical corporations, as defined, and large gas corporations, as defined, by January 1, 2026, and each year thereafter, to publish on their internet websites and provide to the PUC a visual representation of certain cost categories included in residential electric or gas rates for the succeeding calendar year. Existing law requires the PUC, triennially, to submit a report to the Legislature on the energy efficiency and conservation programs it oversees. This bill instead would require the PUC to submit a report to the Legislature on the demand-side management programs it oversees or that are paid for by ratepayers of community choice aggregators, electrical corporations, or gas corporations. The bill would revise the information required to be included in the report. This bill would require the PUC, in consultation with the Energy Commission, the California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank, and the Independent System Operator, by July 1, 2025, to submit to the Governor and the Legislature a study identifying proposals to reduce the cost to ratepayers of expanding the state's electrical transmission grid as necessary to achieve the state's goals, to meet the state's requirements, and to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases, as specified in law, regulation, or executive order. Under existing law, a violation of the Public Utilities Act or an order, decision, rule, direction, demand, or requirement of the PUC is a crime. Because certain of the above-described provisions would be part of the act and a violation of those provisions or a PUC action implementing this bill's 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.