Bill Text: CA AB2861 | 2015-2016 | Regular Session | Chaptered

California Assembly Bill 2861 (Prior Session Legislation)

Bill Title: Electricity: distribution grid interconnection dispute resolution process.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2016-09-26 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 672, Statutes of 2016. [AB2861 Detail]

Download: California-2015-AB2861-Chaptered.html

BILL NUMBER: AB 2861	CHAPTERED
	BILL TEXT

	CHAPTER  672
	FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE  SEPTEMBER 26, 2016
	APPROVED BY GOVERNOR  SEPTEMBER 26, 2016
	PASSED THE SENATE  AUGUST 24, 2016
	PASSED THE ASSEMBLY  AUGUST 30, 2016
	AMENDED IN SENATE  AUGUST 1, 2016
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 27, 2016

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Ting

                        FEBRUARY 19, 2016

   An act to add Section 769.5 to the Public Utilities Code, relating
to electricity.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 2861, Ting. Electricity: distribution grid interconnection
dispute resolution process.
   Existing law places various duties upon the Public Utilities
Commission with respect to distributed generation and requires each
electrical corporation to submit to the commission for its approval a
distribution resources plan proposal to identify optimal locations
for the deployment of distributed resources, as defined. Pursuant to
existing law, the commission has established operational and metering
requirements for a generation facility to be interconnected to an
electrical corporation's distribution grid.
   This bill would authorize the commission to establish an expedited
distribution grid interconnection dispute resolution process, as
specified, with the goal of resolving disputes over interconnection
applications within the jurisdiction of the commission in no more
than 60 days from the time the dispute is formally brought to the
commission. The bill would require the commission to appoint a
qualified electrical systems engineer with substantial
interconnection expertise to advise the director of the energy
division and to provide adequate commission staff to assist in
resolving interconnection disputes.


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

  SECTION 1.  Section 769.5 is added to the Public Utilities Code, to
read:
   769.5.  (a) The commission may establish an expedited distribution
grid interconnection dispute resolution process with the goal of
resolving disputes over interconnection applications that are within
the jurisdiction of the commission in no more than 60 days from the
time the dispute is formally brought to the commission. If the
commission establishes an expedited distribution grid interconnection
dispute resolution process, the commission may provide exceptions to
the 60-day time period when more than 60 days are needed to fairly
and safely address a dispute.
   (b) The expedited distribution grid interconnection dispute
resolution process shall include the following elements:
   (1) A distribution grid interconnection technical panel consisting
of at least eight individuals selected by the commission. Four of
the technical panel members shall be from electrical corporations and
four shall not be from electrical corporations. The commission shall
determine the length of the term of each member. A member shall not
participate as a review panel member for the dispute resolution
process for a contested interconnection application in any of the
following situations:
   (A) The member is an employee of, a contractor to, or an employee
of a contractor to, an electrical corporation to which the contested
interconnection application has been submitted.
   (B) The member is the applicant, an installer or an employee of an
installer for the applicant, or a third-party electricity purchase
agreement provider for the applicant.
   (C) The member has a direct financial interest in the contested
interconnection application.
   (2) A review panel of four members shall be selected from the
technical panel for each dispute.
   (3) If an applicant is unable to resolve an
interconnection-related dispute after working with the electrical
corporation operating the distribution grid, the applicant may seek
resolution of the dispute using the commission's expedited
distribution grid interconnection dispute resolution process.
   (4) Upon agreeing to a final settlement of the dispute, parties
shall be free to withdraw from the expedited distribution grid
interconnection dispute resolution process.
   (5) If the dispute is filed with the commission, the commission
shall ensure that the review panel shall review the dispute and make
a recommendation to the executive director of the commission within
30 days of receiving the dispute.
   (6) The commission shall establish a public process to allow the
electrical corporation, the applicant, and other interested parties
to file written comments on the recommendation of the review panel.
   (7) The review panel shall request appropriate documents from the
electrical corporation involved in the dispute, including, but not
limited to, interconnection application studies.
   (8) The scope of the review panel's review shall be limited to
issues regarding compliance with the established interconnection
rules. Any recommendations shall ensure safe and reliable
interconnection.
   (9) The scope of the review panel's review is limited to making
recommendations to resolve specific customer disputes and
recommending associated corrective actions, and the panel shall have
no authority to assess penalties.
   (10) Upon receipt of the recommendation from the review panel, the
executive director shall have 30 days to review the recommendation
and to prepare an order to the electrical corporation resolving the
dispute. If the review panel cannot agree on recommendations, then
each recommendation of a review panel member shall be submitted to
the executive director, who shall make the decision resolving the
dispute.
   (11) Any interested person seeking commission review of the
executive director's determination shall file the request for review
within 10 days of the determination. Upon receipt of the request for
review, the executive director or the energy division director shall
prepare a proposed resolution of the matter for approval by the
commission.
   (c) The commission shall provide the members of the technical
panel who are not from electrical corporations with an appropriate
per diem compensation consistent with Section 19822.5 of the
Government Code.
   (d) The commission shall appoint a qualified electrical systems
engineer with substantial interconnection expertise to advise the
director of the energy division and shall provide adequate commission
staff to assist in resolving interconnection disputes.