Bill Text: CA SB836 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Amended

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

---

Bill Title: Renewable energy resources: cost reporting.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2011-10-08 - Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 600, Statutes of 2011. [SB836 Detail]

Download: California-2011-SB836-Amended.html

---

BILL NUMBER: SB 836	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN SENATE  MARCH 24, 2011

INTRODUCED BY   Senator Padilla

                        FEBRUARY 18, 2011

   An act to add Section  399.22   399.24 
to the Public Utilities Code, relating to energy.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 836, as amended, Padilla. Renewable energy resources: cost
reporting.
   Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission has regulatory
authority over public utilities, including electrical corporations,
as defined. The California renewables portfolio standard program (RPS
program) requires the 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  , by no later than January 1, 2012, 
require the commission to  semiannually report to the
Legislature on the costs incurred by electrical corporations for
contracts approved by the commission pursuant to the RPS program
  release to the Legislature the costs of all
electricity procurement contracts for eligible renewable energy
resources and all costs for utility-owned generation approved by the
commission since January 1, 2003. The bill would, beginning July 1,
2012, and every 6 months thereafter, require that the commission to
release data to the Legislature for costs approved during the prior
  6   months  .
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.


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

   SECTION 1.    The Legislature finds and declares all
of the following:  
   (a) In 2002, the Legislature mandated that electrical corporations
procure 20 percent of total retail sales of electricity in
California from eligible renewable energy resources by December 31,
2017.  
   (b) In 2006, the Legislature accelerated and broadened this
mandate to require that all retail sellers procure 20 percent of
total retail sales of electricity in California from eligible
renewable energy resources by December 31, 2010.  
   (c) To meet the procurement targets of the California renewables
portfolio standard program, electrical corporations have entered into
hundreds of contracts with independent producers of eligible
renewable energy resources and also built utility-owned generation.
 
   (d) The costs of electricity procurement contracts and
utility-owned generation have been submitted to the Public Utilities
Commission for review and approval.  
   (e) Those costs are directly passed through to the ratepayers of
electrical corporations, but are unknown to the public and the
Legislature.  
   (f) In order to ensure that the public and the Legislature are
aware of the costs of eligible renewable energy resources, this
measure requires the commission to release those costs, in the
aggregate, to the Legislature on a regular basis. 
   SEC. 2.    Section 399.24 is added to the  
Public Utilities Code   , to read:  
   399.24.  (a) Notwithstanding subdivision (g) of Section 454 and
Section 583, no later than January 31, 2012, the commission shall
release to the Legislature the costs of all electricity procurement
contracts for eligible renewable energy resources and all costs for
utility-owned generation approved by the commission since January 1,
2003. The data shall be released in the aggregate, but shall be
categorized according to the year the cost was approved by the
commission, the eligible renewable energy resource type, the
kilowatthour cost, and whether the approval was limited to renewable
energy credits.
   (b) Commencing July 31, 2012, and every six months thereafter, the
commission shall release data to the Legislature for costs approved
during the prior six months.
   (c) This section does not require the release of the terms of any
individual electricity procurement contracts for eligible renewable
energy resources approved by the commission.  
  SECTION 1.    Section 399.22 is added to the
Public Utilities Code, to read:
   399.22.  (a) The commission shall semiannually report to the
Legislature on the costs incurred by electrical corporations for
contracts approved by the commission pursuant to this article. The
report shall include the costs of all contracts for eligible
renewable energy resources or renewable energy credits and include
the costs of all contracts for each type of eligible renewable energy
resource. The first report shall be made not later than January 31,
2012.
   (b) A report to be submitted pursuant to subdivision (a) shall be
submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.