The most salient impact of AB 2884 is its potential to ease the administrative burden on electrical and gas corporations. By allowing these entities to report biennially instead of annually on customer savings from incentive programs, supporters of the bill argue that it will reduce regulatory complexities. This shift in reporting frequency may also lead to a more streamlined process for tracking and evaluating energy savings, as well as providing more room for the development and implementation of effective demand-side management strategies.
Summary
Assembly Bill 2884, introduced by Assembly Member Ting on February 18, 2022, aims to amend Section 717 of the Public Utilities Code related to demand-side energy management programs. This bill is intended to reduce the frequency of reporting requirements for electrical and gas corporations, changing the reporting from an annual basis to a biennial basis. The existing framework requires these corporations to provide incentives to residential and small to medium business customers to acquire energy management technologies that help them understand and manage their energy usage more effectively.
Contention
While the bill has the support of several stakeholders who emphasize the need for more manageable regulations, it may also face opposition from those concerned that reducing the frequency of reporting might compromise the oversight of energy savings initiatives. Critics could argue that less frequent reporting may lead to insufficient evaluations of the effectiveness of these programs, ultimately affecting customer engagement and satisfaction with energy management technologies. Furthermore, there may be discussions around whether this change sufficiently supports environmental goals or improves overall energy efficiency in the state.