California Assembly Bill AB1302 Amended / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: AB 1302AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 31, 2011 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Williams FEBRUARY 18, 2011  An act relating to energy.   An act to add Section 713 to the Public Utilities Code, relating to electricity.  LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 1302, as amended, Williams.  Energy: renewable energy technologies.  Electricity distribution grid upgrade plan.   (1) Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission has regulatory authority over public utilities, including electrical corporations.   The bill would require an electrical corporation to complete a distribution grid upgrade plan, pursuant to a specified schedule, in order to accommodate the increasing number of wholesale distributed generation projects expected to be created under new and existing renewable energy programs.   Because a violation by an electrical corporation of the bill's requirements would be a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.   (2) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.   This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.   Existing law establishes various programs to encourage the development of renewable energy technologies.   This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation to establish a program to support emerging renewable technologies in distributed generation, with specified objectives.  Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee:  no   yes  . State-mandated local program:  no   yes  . THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:  SECTION 1.   Section 713 is added to the   Public Utilities Code  , to read:   713. (a) As used in this section, "wholesale distributed generation" means renewable energy generation that interconnects to the distribution grid and provides electricity to an electrical corporation. (b) An electrical corporation shall complete a distribution grid upgrade plan, extending for a three-year period from the date of completion of the plan, in order to accommodate the increasing number of wholesale distributed generation projects expected to be created under new and existing renewable energy programs. The first plan shall be due no later than July 1, 2012. An updated plan shall be due every two years thereafter. Interested parties shall be allowed to comment on each plan prior to its finalization.   SEC. 2.   No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution.   SECTION 1.   It is the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation to establish a new program to support emerging renewable technologies in distributed generation, with the objectives of reducing peak demand, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, enhancing grid reliability, and encouraging fuel diversity.