Bill Text: CA AB1406 | 2013-2014 | Regular Session | Introduced

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

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Bill Title: Energy: renewable energy resources.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 8-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-02-03 - Died on inactive file. [AB1406 Detail]

Download: California-2013-AB1406-Introduced.html

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BILL NUMBER: AB 1406	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Committee on Utilities and Commerce (Bradford
(Chair), Bonilla, Fong, Garcia, Quirk, Rendon, Skinner, and Williams)

                        MARCH 13, 2013

   An act to amend Section 399.11 of the Public Utilities Code,
relating to energy.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 1406, as introduced, Committee on Utilities and Commerce.
Energy: renewable energy resources.
   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, to achieve the targets and goals of the program.
   This bill would make a technical, nonsubstantive change to the
program's legislative findings and declarations.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 399.11 of the Public Utilities Code is amended
to read:
   399.11.  The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
   (a)  In order to   To  attain a target
of generating 20 percent of total retail sales of electricity in
California from eligible renewable energy resources by December 31,
2013, and 33 percent by December 31, 2020, it is the intent of the
Legislature that the commission and the Energy Commission implement
the California Renewables Portfolio Standard Program described in
this article.
   (b) Achieving the renewables portfolio standard through the
procurement of various electricity products from eligible renewable
energy resources is intended to provide unique benefits to
California, including all of the following, each of which
independently justifies the program:
   (1) Displacing fossil fuel consumption within the state.
   (2) Adding new electrical generating facilities in the
transmission network within the Western Electricity Coordinating
Council service area.
   (3) Reducing air pollution in the state.
   (4) Meeting the state's climate change goals by reducing emissions
of greenhouse gases associated with electrical generation.
   (5) Promoting stable retail rates for electric service.
   (6) Meeting the state's need for a diversified and balanced energy
generation portfolio.
   (7) Assistance with meeting the state's resource adequacy
requirements.
   (8) Contributing to the safe and reliable operation of the
electrical grid, including providing predictable electrical supply,
voltage support, lower line losses, and congestion relief.
   (9) Implementing the state's transmission and land use planning
activities related to development of eligible renewable energy
resources.
   (c) The California Renewables Portfolio Standard Program is
intended to complement the Renewable Energy Resources Program
administered by the Energy Commission and established pursuant to
Chapter 8.6 (commencing with Section 25740) of Division 15 of the
Public Resources Code.
   (d) New and modified electric transmission facilities may be
necessary to facilitate the state achieving its renewables portfolio
standard targets.
   (e) (1) Supplying electricity to California end-use customers that
is generated by eligible renewable energy resources is necessary to
improve California's air quality and public health, and the
commission shall ensure rates are just and reasonable, and are not
significantly affected by the procurement requirements of this
article. This electricity may be generated anywhere in the
interconnected grid that includes many states, and areas of both
Canada and Mexico.
   (2) This article requires generating resources located outside of
California that are able to supply that electricity to California
end-use customers to be treated identically to generating resources
located within the state, without discrimination.
   (3) California electrical corporations have already executed, and
the commission has approved, power purchase agreements with eligible
renewable energy resources located outside of California that will
supply electricity to California end-use customers. These resources
will fully count toward meeting the renewables portfolio standard
procurement requirements. In addition, there are nearly 7,000
megawatts of additional proposed renewable energy resources located
outside of California that are awaiting interconnection approval from
the Independent System Operator. All of these resources, if
procured, will count as eligible renewable energy resources that
satisfy the portfolio content requirements of paragraph (1) of
subdivision (c) of Section 399.16.