Bill Text: CA AB355 | 2021-2022 | Regular Session | Amended


Bill Title: Demand-side energy management programs.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Failed) 2022-02-01 - From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56. [AB355 Detail]

Download: California-2021-AB355-Amended.html

Amended  IN  Assembly  March 18, 2021

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2021–2022 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill
No. 355


Introduced by Assembly Member Cooper

January 28, 2021


An act to amend Section 717 of the Public Utilities Code, relating to energy.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 355, as amended, Cooper. Demand-side energy management programs.
Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission has regulatory authority over public utilities, including electrical corporations and gas corporations. Existing law requires an electrical or gas corporation to develop a program, within the electrical or gas corporation’s demand-side management programs authorized by the commission, to provide incentives to a residential or small or medium business customer to acquire energy management technology for use in the customer’s home or place of business.
This bill would make a nonsubstantive change to that latter provision. require the commission to monitor the incentive program to ensure that savings generated by the program are equitable and ethical. The bill would also require the commission to annually provide a report to the Legislature with findings and recommendations for this program, including findings and recommendations to ensure that savings generated by the program are equitable and ethical.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: NOYES   Local Program: NO  

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


SECTION 1.

 Section 717 of the Public Utilities Code is amended to read:

717.
 (a) The commission shall require an electrical or gas corporation to do all of the following:
(1) Develop a program by January 1, 2017, within the electrical or gas corporation’s demand-side management programs authorized by the commission, to provide incentives to a residential or small or medium business customer to acquire energy management technology for use in the customer’s home or place of business. The electrical or gas corporation may allow third parties or local governments to apply for incentives on behalf of customers. The electrical or gas corporation shall work with third parties, local governments, and other interested parties in developing the program. The electrical or gas corporation shall establish incentive amounts based on savings estimation and baseline policies adopted by the commission.
(2) Develop a plan by September 30, 2016, to educate residential customers and small and medium business customers about the incentive program developed pursuant to paragraph (1). The commission may require that the plan be integrated into, or coordinated with, any education campaign required by the commission.
(3) Annually report to the commission on actual customer savings resulting from the incentive program established pursuant to this section. The commission shall evaluate all electrical or gas corporation energy savings claims achieved pursuant to the incentive program in a manner consistent with commission-adopted evaluation protocols and determine if the program shall continue or be modified. The commission shall monitor the incentive program to ensure that savings generated by the program are equitable and ethical.
(b) For purposes of this section, “energy management technology” may include a product, service, or software that allows a customer to better understand and manage electricity or gas use in the customer’s home or place of business.
(c) Nothing in this section shall be construed to amend or limit the ability of a community choice aggregator to apply to administer an energy efficiency or conservation program or a demand-side management program as set forth in Section 381.1.
(d) The commission shall annually provide a report to the Legislature, pursuant to Section 9795 of the Government Code, with findings and recommendations for this program, including findings and recommendations to ensure that savings generated by the program are equitable and ethical.

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