California Air Resources Board

Summary

Would require each electrical corporation to implement a plan to address climate change-related impacts to its respective electric plant, as defined, including prioritizing the replacement of equipment identified as most vulnerable to extreme heat events and other extreme weather events due to climate change. The bill would additionally require an electrical corporation to include a plan in its annual reliability report that addresses expected impacts, as specified, to the electrical distribution system from climate change, including impacts to transformers, substations, and electrical lines, that may result in a loss of electrical service of over an unspecified number of hours. The bill would require each electrical corporation to describe what investments have been made to better prepare its equipment for the impacts from climate change. Was not heard in the Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee.

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Summary

Would have required the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), in consultation with CARB and the California Energy Commission, under a separate proceeding, to authorize gas corporations to file applications for investments in programs to accelerate zero-emission vehicle transportation, including the use of hydrogen when it is used as a transportation fuel in fuel cell electric vehicles. CPUC would have been prohibited from approving any program or investment that would have resulted in either cost shifts in customer rates or a net increase in emissions from the energy sector, as determined by CARB. Held on suspense in the Senate Appropriations Committee.

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Summary

Requires the California Energy Commission, in consultation with CARB and the California Public Utilities Commission, to prepare a statewide assessment of the fuel cell electric vehicle fueling infrastructure and fuel production needed to support the adoption of zero emission trucks, buses, and off-road vehicles.

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Summary

Would require electric investor-owned utilities to offer an allocation of certain electrical resources to other load-serving entities, specifically, community choice aggregators and electric service providers, that serve departing load customers who bear cost responsibility for those resources. These electrical resources include product attributes to comply with resource adequacy, the Renewables Portfolio Standard program, and others. Was not heard in the Assembly Utilities and Energy Committee.

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Summary

Would establish the Climate Pollution Reduction in Homes Initiative and requires the Department of Community Services and Development to administer the initiative to provide grants for projects, including, but not limited to, those that provide financial assistance to low-income households for the purchase of zero-carbon-emitting appliances. Moved to the Assembly Inactive File.

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Summary

Would have established the California Electric Vehicle Authority (Authority) as a separate entity within the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development. The bill would have required the Authority to coordinate activities among State agencies to advance electric vehicle and zero-emission charging infrastructure deployment as well as ensure related equity, workforce development, economic development, and other needs are addressed. The Authority would have developed new funding and financing programs, as separately authorized by the Legislature, including, but not limited to, incentives, rebates, tax credits, loan guarantees, reverse auctions, seed funds, pooled insurance funds, and matching grants. The Authority would have sunset January 1, 2029. Held on suspense in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

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Summary

Restates current requirements of each electrical investor-owned utility (IOU) that wildfire mitigation plans include identification of circuits that have frequently been deenergized pursuant to a deenergization event to mitigate the risk of wildfire and the measures taken, or planned to be taken, by the IOU to reduce the need for, and impact of, future deenergization of those circuits.

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Summary

Would authorize the California Public Utilities Commission to consider changes within the resource adequacy (RA) program, a program to ensure sufficient electricity supply to satisfy demand, including the use of a multiyear centralized RA mechanism, among other options. Remains in the Assembly Rules Committee.

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Summary

Would authorize a gas corporation that serves an area that will host the 2028 Olympics to identify and propose a green hydrogen project, as defined, or multiple projects, in cooperation with the United States Olympic Paralympic Committee, the City of Los Angeles, or the County of Los Angeles to achieve described purposes. If a green hydrogen project is identified and proposed, the bill would authorize the gas corporation to file an application with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) for approval to undertake the project or projects. The bill would require CPUC to approve, or modify and approve, a project or projects and associated investments in green hydrogen and hydrogen-related infrastructure, and to authorize recovery of those expenses incurred through a reasonable cost recovery mechanism. Was not heard in the Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee.

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Summary

Requires that each local publicly owned electric utility's updated integrated resource plan include, as applicable, details of the utility’s electrical service rate design that supports transportation electrification. The bill requires the rate design include details for all applicable transportation sectors and include information on decision making tools, such as cost calculators or cost estimates that can assist customers in predicting the cost of paying for electricity for these vehicles.

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