Bill Text: CA SB38 | 2023-2024 | Regular Session | Amended

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

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Bill Title: Battery energy storage facilities: emergency response and emergency action plans.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)

Status: (Passed) 2023-10-07 - Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 377, Statutes of 2023. [SB38 Detail]

Download: California-2023-SB38-Amended.html

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Amended  IN  Senate  March 22, 2023

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION

Senate Bill

No. 38

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Introduced by Senator Laird
(Coauthor: Assembly Member Addis)

December 05, 2022

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An act to relating to energy. An act to add Chapter 6.4 (commencing with Section 25549) to Division 15 of the Public Resources Code, relating to energy.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

SB 38, as amended, Laird. Battery storage facilities: safety systems. Battery energy storage facilities: emergency response and evacuation plans.

Existing law requires the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission (Energy Commission) to undertake various actions in furtherance of meeting the state’s clean energy and pollution reduction objectives, including implementing the Long-Duration Energy Storage Program to provide financial incentives for projects to deploy innovative energy storage systems to the electrical grid for purposes of providing critical capacity and grid services. Existing law vests the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) with regulatory authority over public utilities, including electrical corporations, while local publicly owned electric utilities are under the direction of their governing boards. Existing law authorizes the PUC, after a hearing, to require every public utility to construct, maintain, and operate its line, plant, system, equipment, apparatus, tracks, and premises in a manner so as to promote and safeguard the health and safety of its employees, passengers, customers, and the public.

This bill would require each battery energy storage facility in the state to have an emergency response plan and an evacuation plan that covers the area of the battery energy storage facility.

Existing law vests the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) with regulatory authority over public utilities, including electrical corporations, while local publicly owned electric utilities are under the direction of their governing boards. Existing law requires the PUC to ensure that facilities needed to maintain the reliability of the electrical supply remain available and operational.

Existing law establishes an Independent System Operator (ISO) as a nonprofit public benefit corporation and requires the ISO to ensure efficient use and reliable operation of the electrical transmission grid consistent with achieving planning and operating reserve criteria no less stringent than those established by the Western Electricity Coordinating Council and the North American Electric Reliability Council.

This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact future legislation to address the need for better safety systems at battery storage facilities.

Digest Key

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

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Bill Text

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

SECTION 1.

 Chapter 6.4 (commencing with Section 25549) is added to Division 15 of the Public Resources Code, to read:

CHAPTER  6.4. Battery Energy Storage Facilities

25549.

 To ensure the safe operation of battery energy storage facilities in the state, each battery energy storage facility in the state shall have an emergency response plan and an evacuation plan that covers the area of the battery energy storage facility.

SECTION 1.

It is the intent of the Legislature to enact future legislation to address the need for better safety systems at battery storage facilities.