Bill Text: CA AB1144 | 2019-2020 | Regular Session | Amended

California Assembly Bill 1144 (Prior Session Legislation)

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

Bill Title: Self-generation incentive program: community energy storage systems: high fire threat districts.

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Passed) 2019-10-02 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 394, Statutes of 2019. [AB1144 Detail]

Download: California-2019-AB1144-Amended.html

Amended IN Assembly March 13, 2019

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2019–2020 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 1144

Introduced by Assembly Member Friedman

February 21, 2019

An act to add Section 379.9 to, and to add and repeal Section 913.13 of of, the Public Utilities Code, relating to electricity.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 1144, as amended, Friedman. ~~Energy storage resources: report.~~ Self-generation incentive program: community energy storage systems: high fire threat districts.

Existing law requires the Public Utilities Commission to require the administration, until January 1, 2026, of a self-generation incentive program to increase the development of distributed generation resources and energy storage technologies. Existing law authorizes the commission, in administering the program, to adjust the amount of rebates and evaluate other public policy interests, including, but not limited to, ratepayers, energy efficiency, peak load reduction, load management, and environmental interests.
This bill would require the commission, in administering the self-generation incentive program, to allocate 10% of the annual collection for the program in the calendar year 2020 for 3 to 5 pilot projects for the installation of community energy storage systems, and any renewable distributed generation resources associated with those systems, in communities in high fire threat districts. The bill would require recipients of the funds to provide relevant data to the commission and the electrical corporation responsible for the service territory in which the recipient is located. The bill would require the commission to evaluate the efficacy of the pilot projects, as specified. The bill would require the commission, on or before January 1, 2024, to submit to the Legislature a report evaluating the pilot projects, as provided.
Under existing law, a violation of the Public Utilities Act is a crime.
Because the provision requiring recipients of funds for the pilot projects to provide relevant data to the commission and electrical corporations would be a part of the Public Utilities Act, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program by creating a new crime.
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.
Existing law requires the Public Utilities Commission to prepare and submit to the Legislature various reports related to the electricity sector. Under the existing Federal Power Act, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has issued an order removing barriers to the participation of electric storage resources in the capacity, energy, and ancillary service markets operated by regional transmission organizations and independent system operators.
This bill would require the commission, by January 1, 2021, to prepare and submit to the Legislature and to post on its internet website a report that provides guidance to local publicly owned electric utilities and the Independent System Operator on measures that remove barriers to the participation of energy storage resources in the capacity, energy, and ancillary services markets to assist those utilities and Independent System Operator to comply with the federal order.

Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NOYES

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 379.9 is added to the Public Utilities Code, to read:

379.9.
(a) In administering the self-generation incentive program pursuant to Section 379.6, the commission shall allocate 10 percent of the annual collection for the program in the calendar year 2020 for three to five pilot projects for the installation of community energy storage systems, which may include associated renewable distributed generation resources, in communities in high fire threat districts, as determined by the commission.
(b) Recipients of funds provided pursuant to this section shall provide relevant data to the commission and the electrical corporation responsible for the service territory in which the recipient is located.
(c) The commission shall evaluate the efficacy of the pilot projects on measures that include, but are not limited to, both of the following:
(1) The ability of the electrical corporation servicing the community in which the pilot project is installed to reduce wildfire ignition risk by more frequent deenergization of electrical infrastructure.
(2) The economic value provided to the community due to the added grid resource from the pilot project.

SEC. 2.

Section 913.13 is added to the Public Utilities Code, to read:

913.13.
(a) On or before January 1, 2024, the commission shall submit to the Legislature a report evaluating pilot projects receiving funds pursuant to Section 379.9. The report shall contain information that includes, but is not limited to, all of the following:
(1) An evaluation of the role of community energy storage systems in long term electric transmission and distribution network planning in reducing fire risk for communities in high fire threat districts.
(2) Proposed rate structures for community energy storage systems operating in wildfire risk areas that compensates the resource for providing grid resiliency and reduced fire risk to the communities.
(3) A list of statutory and regulatory barriers preventing community energy storage systems from serving ratepayers in wildfire risk areas.
(b) Pursuant to Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, this section is repealed on January 1, 2028.

SEC. 3.
No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution.

SECTION 1.Section 913.13 is added to the Public Utilities Code, to read:
913.13.
(a)(1)By January 1, 2021, the commission shall prepare and submit to the Legislature and post on its internet website a report that provides guidance to local publicly owned electric utilities and the Independent System Operator on measures that remove barriers to the participation of electric storage resources in the capacity, energy, and ancillary service markets to assist those utilities and the Independent System Operator to comply Order 841 of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (162 FERC 61127).
(2)As a part of the report, the commission shall also study the greenhouse gas emission impacts of the participation of electric storage resources in the capacity, energy, and ancillary service markets.
~~(b)The report required pursuant to subdivision (a) shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.~~
~~(c)Pursuant to Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, this section is repealed on January 1, 2025.~~