Amended in Senate August 21, 2013

Amended in Senate August 12, 2013

Amended in Senate July 8, 2013

Amended in Assembly April 23, 2013

California Legislature—2013–14 Regular Session

Assembly Bill No. 327

Introduced by Assembly Member Perea

(Coauthors: Assembly Members Bigelow, Bonilla, Buchanan, Daly, Eggman, Fox, Beth Gaines, Garcia, Gray, Olsen, Pan, and Wagner)

(Coauthors: Senators begin delete Cannella, Correa, and Fuller end delete begin insert Cannella and Correa end insert )

February 13, 2013

An act to amend Sections begin delete 382 and 739.1 end delete begin insert 382, 399.15, 739.1, and 2827 end insert of, begin insert to amend and renumber Section 2827.1 of, to add Section 2827.1 to, end insert and to repeal and add Sections 739.9 and 745 of, the Public Utilities Code, relating to energy begin delete utility rates end delete .

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 327, as amended, Perea. Electricity: natural gas: begin delete rates. end delete begin insert rates: net energy metering: California Renewables Portfolio Standard Program. end insert

Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission has regulatory authority over public utilities, including electrical and gas corporations, as defined. Existing law authorizes the commission to fix the rates and charges for every public utility, and requires that those rates and charges be just and reasonable. Existing law requires the commission to designate a baseline quantity of electricity and gas necessary to supply a significant portion of the reasonable energy needs of the average residential customer and requires that electrical and gas corporations file rates and charges, to be approved by the commission, providing baseline rates. Existing law requires the commission, in establishing the baseline rates, to avoid excessive rate increases for residential customers. Existing law requires the commission to establish a program of assistance to low-income electric and gas customers, referred to as the California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) program. The CARE program provides lower rates to low-income customers that are financed through a separate rate component, which is required to be a nonbypassable element of the local distribution service and collected on the basis of usage. Eligibility for the CARE program is for those electric and gas customers with annual household incomes that are no greater than 200% of the federal poverty guideline levels.

Existing law revises certain prohibitions upon raising residential electrical rates adopted during the energy crisis of 2000-01, to authorize the commission to increase the rates charged residential customers for electricity usage up to 130% of the baseline quantities by the annual percentage change in the Consumer Price Index from the prior year plus 1%, but not less than 3% and not more than 5% per year. Existing law additionally authorizes the commission to increase the rates in effect for CARE program participants for electricity usage up to 130% of baseline quantities by the annual percentage increase in benefits under the CalWORKs program, as defined, not to exceed 3%, and subject to the limitation that the CARE rates not exceed 80% of the corresponding rates charged to residential customers not participating in the CARE program. Existing law states the intent of the Legislature that CARE program participants be afforded the lowest possible electric and gas rates and, to the extent possible, be exempt from additional surcharges attributable to the energy crisis of 2000-01.

This bill would repeal the limitations upon increasing the electric service rates of residential customers, including the rate increase limitations applicable to electric service provided to CARE customers, but would require the commission, in establishing rates for CARE program participants, to ensure that low-income ratepayers are not jeopardized or overburdened by monthly energy expenditures and to adopt CARE rates in which the level of discount for low-income electricity and gas ratepayers correctly reflects their level of need, as determined by a specified needs assessment. The bill would require that this needs assessment be performed not less often than every 3rd year. The bill would revise the CARE program eligibility requirements to provide that for one-person households, program eligibility would be based on 2-person household guideline levels. The bill would require the commission, when establishing the CARE discounts for an electrical corporation with 100,000 or more customer accounts in California, to ensure that the average effective CARE discount be no less than 30% and no more than 35% of the revenues that would have been produced for the same billed usage by non-CARE customers and that the entire discount be provided in the form of a reduction in the overall bill for the eligible CARE customer. The bill would require that increases to rates and charges in rate design proceedings, including any reduction in the CARE discount, be reasonable and subject to a reasonable phase-in schedule relative to the rates and charges in effect prior to January 1, 2014. The bill would authorize the commission to approve new, or expand existing, fixed charges, as defined, for an electrical corporation for the purpose of collecting a reasonable portion of the fixed costs of providing service to residential customers. The bill would require the commission to ensure that any new or expanded fixed charges reasonably reflect an appropriate portion of the different costs of serving small and large customers, do not unreasonably impair incentives for conservation and energy efficiency, and do not overburden low-income and moderate-income customers. The bill would impose a $10 limit per residential customer account per month for customers not enrolled in the CARE program, would impose a $5 per month limit per residential customer account per month for customers enrolled in the CARE program, and would begin insert , beginning January 1, 2016, end insert authorize the commission to adjust this maximum allowable begin insert fixed end insert charge by no more than the annual percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index for the prior calendar year. The bill would authorize the commission to consider whether minimum bills are an appropriate substitute for any fixed charges.

Existing law prohibits the commission from requiring or permitting an electrical corporation to do any of the following: (1) employ mandatory or default time-variant pricing, as defined, with or without bill protection, as defined, for residential customers prior to January 1, 2013, (2) employ mandatory or default time-variant pricing, without bill protection, for residential customers prior to January 1, 2014, or (3) employ mandatory or default real-time pricing, without bill protection, for residential customers prior to January 1, 2020. Existing law authorizes the commission to authorize an electrical corporation to offer residential customers the option of receiving service pursuant to time-variant pricing and to participate in other demand response programs. Existing law requires the commission to only approve an electrical corporation’s use of default time-variant pricing for residential customers, beginning January 1, 2014, if those residential customers have the option to not receive service pursuant to time-variant pricing and incur no additional charges, as specified, as a result of the exercise of that option. Existing law exempts certain customers from being subject to default time-variant pricing.

This bill would delete these provisions and instead prohibit the commission from requiring or permitting an electrical corporation from employing mandatory or default time-variant pricing, as defined, for any residential customer, except that beginning January 1, 2018, the commission may require or authorize an electrical corporation to employ default time-of-use pricing to residential customers, subject to specified limitations and conditions. The bill would permit the commission to authorize an electrical corporation to offer residential customers the option of receiving service pursuant to time-variant pricing and to participate in other demand response programs. The bill would provide that a residential customer would have the option to not receive service pursuant to time-variant pricing and not incur any additional charge as a result of the exercise of that option. Unless the commission has authorized an electrical corporation to employ default time-of-use pricing, the bill would require the commission to require each electrical corporation to offer default rates to residential customers with at least 2 usage tiers and would require that the first tier include electricity usage of no less than the baseline quantity established by the commission. The bill would authorize the commission to modify the baseline seasonal definitions and applicable percentage of average consumption for one or more climate zones.

begin insert

Existing law requires every electric utility, defined to include an electrical corporation, local publicly owned electric utility, or an electrical cooperative, to develop a standard contract or tariff providing for net energy metering, as defined, and to make this contract or tariff available to eligible customer generators, as defined, upon request for generation by a renewable electrical generation facility, as defined. An electric utility, upon request, is required to make available to eligible customer generators contracts or tariffs for net energy metering on a first-come-first-served basis until the time that the total rated generating capacity used by eligible customer generators exceeds 5% of the electric utility’s aggregate customer peak demand. Existing law authorizes a local publicly owned electric utility to elect to instead offer co-energy metering, which uses a generation-to-generation energy and time-of-use credit formula, as specified.

end insert begin insert

This bill would require a large electrical corporation, defined as an electrical corporation with more than 100,000 service connections in California, to provide net energy metering to additional eligible customer-generators in its service area through December 31, 2016, or until the utility has made a specified amount of nameplate generating capacity available to eligible customer-generators, whichever occurs first. The bill would require the commission to develop a standard contract or tariff for eligible customer-generators with a renewable electrical generation facility that are customers of a large electrical corporation no later than July 1, 2015. In developing the standard contract or tariff for large electrical corporations, the commission would be required to (1) establish rates, terms of service, and billing rules for eligible customer-generators, (2) ensure that the standard contract or tariff is based on the electric system costs and benefits received by nonparticipating customers of the electrical corporation for the renewable electrical generation facility located on the customer’s premises, and (3) preserve nonparticipant ratepayer indifference. The bill would require a large electrical corporation to offer the standard contract or tariff to an eligible customer-generator beginning January 1, 2017, or prior to that date if ordered to do so by the commission because it has reached the specified nameplate generating capacity limit established for the corporation. The bill would provide that there is no limitation on the number of new eligible customer-generators entitled to receive service pursuant to the standard contract or tariff developed by the commission for a large electrical corporation. The bill would provide that an eligible customer-generator receiving service under a net energy metering standard contract or tariff with a large electrical corporation, pursuant to existing law, continues to be eligible for service pursuant to that contract or tariff until December 31, 2020. After that date, the eligible customer-generator would be eligible to receive service pursuant to the standard contract or tariff developed by the commission for a large electrical corporation.

end insert begin insert

The California Renewables Portfolio Standard Program requires the Public Utilities Commission to establish a rewewables portfolio standard requiring all retail sellers, as defined, to procure a minimum quantity of electricity products from eligible renewable energy resources, as defined, at specified percentages of the total kilowatthours sold to their retail end-customers during specified compliance periods. The program additionally requires each local publicly owned electric utility, as defined, to procure a minimum quantity of electricity products from eligible renewable energy resources to achieve the targets established by the program. Existing law prohibits the commission from requiring the procurement of eligible renewable energy resources in excess of the specified quantities.

end insert begin insert

This bill would authorize the commission to require a retail seller to procure eligible renewable energy resources in excess of the specified quantities.

end insert begin insert

Under existing law, a violation of the Public Utilities Act or any order, decision, rule, direction, demand, or requirement of the commission is a crime.

end insert begin insert

Because portions of this bill are within the act and require action by the commission to implement their requirements, a violation of these provisions would impose a state-mandated local program by creating a new crime or expanding an existing crime.

end insert begin insert

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.

end insert begin insert

This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

end insert

Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program:  begin delete no end delete begin insert yes end insert .

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

SECTION 1.  

Section 382 of the Public Utilities Code is
amended to read:

382.  

(a) Programs provided to low-income electricity
customers, including, but not limited to, targeted energy-efficiency
services and the California Alternate Rates for Energy program
shall be funded at not less than 1996 authorized levels based on
an assessment of customer need.

(b) In order to meet legitimate needs of electric and gas
customers who are unable to pay their electric and gas bills and
who satisfy eligibility criteria for assistance, recognizing that
electricity is a basic necessity, and that all residents of the state
should be able to afford essential electricity and gas supplies, the
commission shall ensure that low-income ratepayers are not
jeopardized or overburdened by monthly energy expenditures.
Energy expenditure may be reduced through the establishment of
different rates for low-income ratepayers, different levels of rate
assistance, and energy efficiency programs.

(c) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit electric
and gas providers from offering any special rate or program for
low-income ratepayers that is not specifically required in this
section.

(d) Beginning in 2002, an assessment of the needs of
low-income electricity and gas ratepayers shall be conducted
periodically by the commission with the assistance of the
Low-Income Oversight Board. A periodic assessment shall be
made not less often than every third year. The assessment shall
evaluate low-income program implementation and the effectiveness
of weatherization services and energy efficiency measures in
low-income households. The assessment shall consider whether
existing programs adequately address low-income electricity and
gas customers’ energy expenditures, hardship, language needs,
and economic burdens.

(e) The commission shall, by not later than December 31, 2020,
ensure that all eligible low-income electricity and gas customers
are given the opportunity to participate in low-income energy
efficiency programs, including customers occupying apartments
or similar multiunit residential structures. The commission and
electrical corporations and gas corporations shall make all
reasonable efforts to coordinate ratepayer-funded programs with
other energy conservation and efficiency programs and to obtain
additional federal funding to support actions undertaken pursuant
to this subdivision.

These programs shall be designed to provide long-term
reductions in energy consumption at the dwelling unit based on
an audit or assessment of the dwelling unit, and may include
improved insulation, energy efficient appliances, measures that
utilize solar energy, and other improvements to the physical
structure.

(f) The commission shall allocate funds necessary to meet the
low-income objectives in this section.

begin insert

begin insert SEC. 2. end insert   

end insert

begin insert Section 399.15 of the end insert begin insert Public Utilities Code end insert begin insert is amended
to read: end insert

399.15.  

(a) In order to fulfill unmet long-term resource needs,
the commission shall establish a renewables portfolio standard
requiring all retail sellers to procure a minimum quantity of
electricity products from eligible renewable energy resources as
a specified percentage of total kilowatthours sold to their retail
end-use customers each compliance period to achieve the targets
established under this article. For any retail seller procuring at least
14 percent of retail sales from eligible renewable energy resources
in 2010, the deficits associated with any previous renewables
portfolio standard shall not be added to any procurement
requirement pursuant to this article.

(b) The commission shall implement renewables portfolio
standard procurement requirements only as follows:

(1) Each retail seller shall procure a minimum quantity of
eligible renewable energy resources for each of the following
compliance periods:

(A) January 1, 2011, to December 31, 2013, inclusive.

(B) January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2016, inclusive.

(C) January 1, 2017, to December 31, 2020, inclusive.

(2) (A) No later than January 1, 2012, the commission shall
establish the quantity of electricity products from eligible
renewable energy resources to be procured by the retail seller for
each compliance period. These quantities shall be established in
the same manner for all retail sellers and result in the same
percentages used to establish compliance period quantities for all
retail sellers.

(B) In establishing quantities for the compliance period from
January 1, 2011, to December 31, 2013, inclusive, the commission
shall require procurement for each retail seller equal to an average
of 20 percent of retail sales. For the following compliance periods,
the quantities shall reflect reasonable progress in each of the
intervening years sufficient to ensure that the procurement of
electricity products from eligible renewable energy resources
achieves 25 percent of retail sales by December 31, 2016, and 33
percent of retail sales by December 31, 2020. The commission
shall require retail sellers to procure not less than 33 percent of
retail sales of electricity products from eligible renewable energy
resources in all subsequent years.

(C) Retail sellers shall be obligated to procure no less than the
quantities associated with all intervening years by the end of each
compliance period. Retail sellers shall not be required to
demonstrate a specific quantity of procurement for any individual
intervening year.

begin delete

(3) The commission shall not require the procurement of eligible
renewable energy resources in excess of the quantities identified
in paragraph (2). A retail seller may voluntarily increase its
procurement of eligible renewable energy resources beyond the
renewables portfolio standard procurement requirements.

end delete begin insert

(3) The commission may require the procurement of eligible
renewable energy resources in excess of the quantities specified
in paragraph (2).

end insert

(4) Only for purposes of establishing the renewables portfolio
standard procurement requirements of paragraph (1) and
determining the quantities pursuant to paragraph (2), the
commission shall include all electricity sold to retail customers by
the Department of Water Resources pursuant to Division 27
(commencing with Section 80000) of the Water Code in the
calculation of retail sales by an electrical corporation.

(5) The commission shall waive enforcement of this section if
it finds that the retail seller has demonstrated any of the following
conditions are beyond the control of the retail seller and will
prevent compliance:

(A) There is inadequate transmission capacity to allow for
sufficient electricity to be delivered from proposed eligible
renewable energy resource projects using the current operational
protocols of the Independent System Operator. In making its
findings relative to the existence of this condition with respect to
a retail seller that owns transmission lines, the commission shall
consider both of the following:

(i) Whether the retail seller has undertaken, in a timely fashion,
reasonable measures under its control and consistent with its
obligations under local, state, and federal laws and regulations, to
develop and construct new transmission lines or upgrades to
existing lines intended to transmit electricity generated by eligible
renewable energy resources. In determining the reasonableness of
a retail seller’s actions, the commission shall consider the retail
seller’s expectations for full-cost recovery for these transmission
lines and upgrades.

(ii) Whether the retail seller has taken all reasonable operational
measures to maximize cost-effective deliveries of electricity from
eligible renewable energy resources in advance of transmission
availability.

(B) Permitting, interconnection, or other circumstances that
delay procured eligible renewable energy resource projects, or
there is an insufficient supply of eligible renewable energy
resources available to the retail seller. In making a finding that this
condition prevents timely compliance, the commission shall
consider whether the retail seller has done all of the following:

(i) Prudently managed portfolio risks, including relying on a
sufficient number of viable projects.

(ii) Sought to develop one of the following: its own eligible
renewable energy resources, transmission to interconnect to eligible
renewable energy resources, or energy storage used to integrate
eligible renewable energy resources. This clause shall not require
an electrical corporation to pursue development of eligible
renewable energy resources pursuant to Section 399.14.

(iii) Procured an appropriate minimum margin of procurement
above the minimum procurement level necessary to comply with
the renewables portfolio standard to compensate for foreseeable
delays or insufficient supply.

(iv) Taken reasonable measures, under the control of the retail
seller, to procure cost-effective distributed generation and allowable
unbundled renewable energy credits.

(C) Unanticipated curtailment of eligible renewable energy
resources necessary to address the needs of a balancing authority.

(6) If the commission waives the compliance requirements of
this section, the commission shall establish additional reporting
requirements on the retail seller to demonstrate that all reasonable
actions under the control of the retail seller are taken in each of
the intervening years sufficient to satisfy future procurement
requirements.

(7) The commission shall not waive enforcement pursuant to
this section, unless the retail seller demonstrates that it has taken
all reasonable actions under its control, as set forth in paragraph
(5), to achieve full compliance.

(8) If a retail seller fails to procure sufficient eligible renewable
energy resources to comply with a procurement requirement
pursuant to paragraphs (1) and (2) and fails to obtain an order from
the commission waiving enforcement pursuant to paragraph (5),
the commission shall exercise its authority pursuant to Section
2113.

(9) Deficits associated with the compliance period shall not be
added to a future compliance period.

(c) The commission shall establish a limitation for each electrical
corporation on the procurement expenditures for all eligible
renewable energy resources used to comply with the renewables
portfolio standard. In establishing this limitation, the commission
shall rely on the following:

(1) The most recent renewable energy procurement plan.

(2) Procurement expenditures that approximate the expected
cost of building, owning, and operating eligible renewable energy
resources.

(3) The potential that some planned resource additions may be
delayed or canceled.

(d) In developing the limitation pursuant to subdivision (c), the
commission shall ensure all of the following:

(1) The limitation is set at a level that prevents disproportionate
rate impacts.

(2) The costs of all procurement credited toward achieving the
renewables portfolio standard are counted towards the limitation.

(3) Procurement expenditures do not include any indirect
expenses, including imbalance energy charges, sale of excess
energy, decreased generation from existing resources, transmission
upgrades, or the costs associated with relicensing any utility-owned
hydroelectric facilities.

(e) (1) No later than January 1, 2016, the commission shall
prepare a report to the Legislature assessing whether each electrical
corporation can achieve a 33-percent renewables portfolio standard
by December 31, 2020, and maintain that level thereafter, within
the adopted cost limitations. If the commission determines that it
is necessary to change the limitation for procurement costs incurred
by any electrical corporation after that date, it may propose a
revised cap consistent with the criteria in subdivisions (c) and (d).
The proposed modifications shall take effect no earlier than January
1, 2017.

(2) Notwithstanding Section 10231.5 of the Government Code,
the requirement for submitting a report imposed under paragraph
(1) is inoperative on January 1, 2021.

(3) A report to be submitted pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be
submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government
Code.

(f) If the cost limitation for an electrical corporation is
insufficient to support the projected costs of meeting the
renewables portfolio standard procurement requirements, the
electrical corporation may refrain from entering into new contracts
or constructing facilities beyond the quantity that can be procured
within the limitation, unless eligible renewable energy resources
can be procured without exceeding a de minimis increase in rates,
consistent with the long-term procurement plan established for the
electrical corporation pursuant to Section 454.5.

(g) (1) The commission shall monitor the status of the cost
limitation for each electrical corporation in order to ensure
compliance with this article.

(2) If the commission determines that an electrical corporation
may exceed its cost limitation prior to achieving the renewables
portfolio standard procurement requirements, the commission shall
do both of the following within 60 days of making that
determination:

(A) Investigate and identify the reasons why the electrical
corporation may exceed its annual cost limitation.

(B) Notify the appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the
Legislature that the electrical corporation may exceed its cost
limitation, and include the reasons why the electrical corporation
may exceed its cost limitation.

(h) The establishment of a renewables portfolio standard shall
not constitute implementation by the commission of the federal
Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (Public Law
95-617).

begin delete SEC. 2. end delete
begin insert SEC. 3. end insert   

Section 739.1 of the Public Utilities Code is amended
to read:

739.1.  

(a) The commission shall continue a program of
assistance to low-income electric and gas customers with annual
household incomes that are no greater than 200 percent of the
federal poverty guideline levels, the cost of which shall not be
borne solely by any single class of customer. For one-person
households, program eligibility shall be based on two-person
household guideline levels. The program shall be referred to as
the California Alternate Rates for Energy or CARE program. The
commission shall ensure that the level of discount for low-income
electric and gas customers correctly reflects the level of need.

(b) The commission shall establish rates for CARE program
participants, subject to both of the following:

(1) That the commission ensure that low-income ratepayers are
not jeopardized or overburdened by monthly energy expenditures,
pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 382.

(2) That the level of the discount for low-income electricity and
gas ratepayers correctly reflects the level of need as determined
by the needs assessment conducted pursuant to subdivision (d) of
Section 382.

(c) In establishing CARE discounts for an electrical corporation
with 100,000 or more customer accounts in California, the
commission shall ensure all of the following:

(1) The average effective CARE discount shall not be less than
30 percent or more than 35 percent of the revenues that would
have been produced for the same billed usage by non-CARE
customers. The average effective discount determined by the
commission shall reflect any charges not paid by CARE customers,
including payments for the California Solar Initiative, payments
for the self-generation incentive program made pursuant to Section
379.6, payment of the separate rate component to fund the CARE
program made pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 381, payments
made to the Department of Water Resources pursuant to Division
27 (commencing with Section 80000) of the Water Code, and any
discount in a fixed charge. The average effective CARE discount
shall be calculated as a weighted average of the CARE discounts
provided to individual customers.

(2) If an electrical corporation provides an average effective
CARE discount in excess of the maximum percentage specified
in paragraph (1), the electrical corporation shall not reduce, on an
annual basis, the average effective CARE discount by more than
a reasonable percentage decrease below the discount in effect on
January 1, 2013, or that the electrical corporation had been
authorized to place in effect by that date.

(3) The entire discount shall be provided in the form of a
reduction in the overall bill for the eligible CARE customer.

(d) The commission shall work with electrical and gas
corporations to establish penetration goals. The commission shall
authorize recovery of all administrative costs associated with the
implementation of the CARE program that the commission
determines to be reasonable, through a balancing account
mechanism. Administrative costs shall include, but are not limited
to, outreach, marketing, regulatory compliance, certification and
verification, billing, measurement and evaluation, and capital
improvements and upgrades to communications and processing
equipment.

(e) The commission shall examine methods to improve CARE
enrollment and participation. This examination shall include, but
need not be limited to, comparing information from CARE and
the Universal Lifeline Telephone Service (ULTS) to determine
the most effective means of utilizing that information to increase
CARE enrollment, automatic enrollment of ULTS customers who
are eligible for the CARE program, customer privacy issues, and
alternative mechanisms for outreach to potential enrollees. The
commission shall ensure that a customer consents prior to
enrollment. The commission shall consult with interested parties,
including ULTS providers, to develop the best methods of
informing ULTS customers about other available low-income
programs, as well as the best mechanism for telephone providers
to recover reasonable costs incurred pursuant to this section.

(f) (1) The commission shall improve the CARE application
process by cooperating with other entities and representatives of
California government, including the California Health and Human
Services Agency and the Secretary of California Health and Human
Services, to ensure that all gas and electric customers eligible for
public assistance programs in California that reside within the
service territory of an electrical corporation or gas corporation,
are enrolled in the CARE program. The commission may determine
that gas and electric customers are categorically eligible for CARE
assistance if they are enrolled in other public assistance programs
with substantially the same income eligibility requirements as the
CARE program. To the extent practicable, the commission shall
develop a CARE application process using the existing ULTS
application process as a model. The commission shall work with
electrical and gas corporations and the Low-Income Oversight
Board established in Section 382.1 to meet the low-income
objectives in this section.

(2) The commission shall ensure that an electrical corporation
or gas corporation with a commission-approved program to provide
discounts based upon economic need in addition to the CARE
program, including a Family Electric Rate Assistance program,
utilize a single application form, to enable an applicant to
alternatively apply for any assistance program for which the
applicant may be eligible. It is the intent of the Legislature to allow
applicants under one program, that may not be eligible under that
program, but that may be eligible under an alternative assistance
program based upon economic need, to complete a single
application for any commission-approved assistance program
offered by the public utility.

(g) It is the intent of the Legislature that the commission ensure
CARE program participants receive affordable electric and gas
service that does not impose an unfair economic burden on those
participants.

(h) The commission’s program of assistance to low-income
electric and gas customers shall, as soon as practicable, include
nonprofit group living facilities specified by the commission, if
the commission finds that the residents in these facilities
substantially meet the commission’s low-income eligibility
requirements and there is a feasible process for certifying that the
assistance shall be used for the direct benefit, such as improved
quality of care or improved food service, of the low-income
residents in the facilities. The commission shall authorize utilities
to offer discounts to eligible facilities licensed or permitted by
appropriate state or local agencies, and to facilities, including
women’s shelters, hospices, and homeless shelters, that may not
have a license or permit but provide other proof satisfactory to the
utility that they are eligible to participate in the program.

(i) (1) In addition to existing assessments of eligibility, an
electrical corporation may require proof of income eligibility for
those CARE program participants whose electricity usage, in any
monthly or other billing period, exceeds 400 percent of baseline
usage. The authority of an electrical corporation to require proof
of income eligibility is not limited by the means by which the
CARE program participant enrolled in the program, including if
the participant was automatically enrolled in the CARE program
because of participation in a governmental assistance program. If
a CARE program participant’s electricity usage exceeds 400
percent of baseline usage, the electrical corporation may require
the CARE program participant to participate in the Energy Savings
Assistance Program (ESAP), which includes a residential energy
assessment, in order to provide the CARE program participant
with information and assistance in reducing his or her energy usage.
Continued participation in the CARE program may be conditioned
upon the CARE program participant agreeing to participate in
ESAP within 45 days of notice being given by the electrical
corporation pursuant to this paragraph. The electrical corporation
may require the CARE program participant to notify the utility of
whether the residence is rented, and if so, a means by which to
contact the landlord, and the electrical corporation may share any
evaluation and recommendation relative to the residential structure
that is made as part of an energy assessment, with the landlord of
the CARE program participant. Requirements imposed pursuant
to this paragraph shall be consistent with procedures adopted by
the commission.

(2) If a CARE program participant’s electricity usage exceeds
600 percent of baseline usage, the electrical corporation shall
require the CARE program participant to participate in ESAP,
which includes a residential energy assessment, in order to provide
the CARE program participant with information and assistance in
reducing his or her energy usage. Continued participation in the
CARE program shall be conditioned upon the CARE program
participant agreeing to participate in ESAP within 45 days of a
notice made by the electrical corporation pursuant to this paragraph.
The electrical corporation may require the CARE program
participant to notify the utility of whether the residence is rented,
and if so, a means by which to contact the landlord, and the
electrical corporation may share any evaluation and
recommendation relative to the residential structure that is made
as part of an energy assessment, with the landlord of the CARE
program participant. Following the completion of the energy
assessment, if the CARE program participant’s electricity usage
continues to exceed 600 percent of baseline usage, the electrical
corporation may remove the CARE program participant from the
program if the removal is consistent with procedures adopted by
the commission. Nothing in this paragraph shall prevent a CARE
program participant with electricity usage exceeding 600 percent
of baseline usage from participating in an appeals process with the
electrical corporation to determine whether the participant’s usage
levels are legitimate.

(3) A CARE program participant in a rental residence shall not
be removed from the program in situations where the landlord is
nonresponsive when contacted by the electrical corporation or
does not provide for ESAP participation.

begin delete SEC. 3. end delete
begin insert SEC. 4. end insert   

Section 739.9 of the Public Utilities Code is repealed.

begin delete SEC. 4. end delete
begin insert SEC. 5. end insert   

Section 739.9 is added to the Public Utilities Code, to
read:

739.9.  

(a) “Fixed charge” means any fixed customer charge,
basic service fee, demand differentiated basic service fee, demand
charge, or other charge not based upon the volume of electricity
consumed.

(b) Increases to electrical rates and charges in rate design
proceedings, including any reduction in the California Alternate
Rates for Energy (CARE) discount, shall be reasonable and subject
to a reasonable phase-in schedule relative to the rates and charges
in effect prior to January 1, 2014.

(c) Except as provided in subdivision (c) of Section 745, the
commission shall require each electrical corporation to offer default
rates to residential customers with at least two usage tiers. The
first tier shall include electricity usage of no less than the baseline
quantity established pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (d)
of Section 739.

(d) Consistent with the requirements of Section 739, the
commission may modify the seasonal definitions and applicable
percentage of average consumption for one or more climatic zones.

(e) The commission may adopt new, or expand existing, fixed
charges for the purpose of collecting a reasonable portion of the
fixed costs of providing electric service to residential customers.
The commission shall ensure that any approved charges do all of
the following:

(1) Reasonably reflect an appropriate portion of the different
costs of serving small and large customers.

(2) Not unreasonably impair incentives for conservation and
energy efficiency.

(3) Not overburden low-income customers.

(f) For the purposes of this section and Section 739.1, the
commission may begin insert , beginning January 1, 2015, end insert authorize fixed
charges that do not exceed ten dollars ($10) per residential
customer account per month for customers not enrolled in the
CARE program and five dollars ($5) per residential customer
account per month for customers enrolled in the CARE program.
Beginning January 1, begin delete 2015 end delete begin insert 2016 end insert , the maximum allowable fixed
charge may be adjusted by no more than the annual percentage
increase in the Consumer Price Index or the prior calendar year.
This subdivision applies to any default rate schedule, at least one
optional tiered rate schedule, and at least one optional time variant
rate schedule.

(g) This section does not require the commission to approve
any new or expanded fixed charge.

(h) The commission may consider whether minimum bills are
appropriate as a substitute for any fixed charges.

begin delete SEC. 5. end delete
begin insert SEC. 6. end insert   

Section 745 of the Public Utilities Code is repealed.

begin delete SEC. 6. end delete
begin insert SEC. 7. end insert   

Section 745 is added to the Public Utilities Code, to
read:

745.  

(a) For purposes of this section, “time-variant pricing”
includes time-of-use rates, critical peak pricing, and real-time
pricing, but does not include programs that provide customers with
discounts from standard tariff rates as an incentive to reduce
consumption at certain times, including peak time rebates.

(b) The commission may authorize an electrical corporation to
offer residential customers the option of receiving service pursuant
to time-variant pricing and to participate in other demand response
programs. The commission shall not establish a mandatory or
default time-variant pricing tariff for any residential customer
except as authorized in subdivision (c).

(c) Beginning January 1, 2018, the commission may require or
authorize an electrical corporation to employ default time-of-use
pricing for residential customers subject to all of the following:

(1) Residential customers receiving a medical baseline allowance
pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 739, customers requesting
third-party notification pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 779.1,
customers who the commission has ordered cannot be disconnected
from service without an in-person visit from a utility representative
(Decision 12-03-054 (March 22, 2012), Decision on Phase II
Issues: Adoption of Practices to Reduce the Number of Gas and
Electric Service Disconnections, Order 2 (b) at page 55), and other
customers designated by the commission in its discretion shall not
be subject to default time-of-use pricing without their affirmative
consent.

(2) The commission shall ensure that any time-of-use rate
schedule does not cause unreasonable hardship for senior citizens
or economically vulnerable customers in hot climate zones.

(3) The commission shall strive for time-of-use rate schedules
that utilize time periods that are appropriate for at least the
following five years.

(4) A residential customer shall not be subject to a default
time-of-use rate schedule unless that residential customer has been
provided with not less than one year of interval usage data from
an advanced meter and associated customer education and,
following the passage of this period, is provided with no less than
one year of bill protection during which the total amount paid by
the residential customer for electric service shall not exceed the
amount that would have been payable by the residential customer
under that customer’s previous rate schedule.

(5) Each electrical corporation shall provide each residential
customer, not less than once per year, using a reasonable delivery
method of the customer’s choosing, a summary of available tariff
options with a calculation of expected annual bill impacts under
each available tariff. The summary shall not be provided to
customers who notify the utility that they choose not to receive
the summary. The reasonable costs of providing this service shall
be recovered in rates.

(6) Residential customers have the option to not receive service
pursuant to a time-of-use rate schedule and incur no additional
charges as a result of the exercise of that option. Prohibited charges
include, but are not limited to, administrative fees for switching
away from time-of-use pricing, hedging premiums that exceed any
actual costs of hedging, and more than a proportional share of any
discounts or other incentives paid to customers to increase
participation in time-of-use pricing. This prohibition on additional
charges is not intended to ensure that a customer will necessarily
experience a lower total bill as a result of the exercise of the option
to not receive service pursuant to a time-of-use rate schedule.

begin insert

begin insert SEC. 8. end insert   

end insert

begin insert Section 2827 of the end insert begin insert Public Utilities Code end insert begin insert is amended
to read: end insert

2827.  

(a) The Legislature finds and declares that a program
to provide net energy metering combined with net surplus
compensation, co-energy metering, and wind energy co-metering
for eligible customer-generators is one way to encourage substantial
private investment in renewable energy resources, stimulate in-state
economic growth, reduce demand for electricity during peak
consumption periods, help stabilize California’s energy supply
infrastructure, enhance the continued diversification of California’s
energy resource mix, reduce interconnection and administrative
costs for electricity suppliers, and encourage conservation and
efficiency.

(b) As used in this section, the following terms have the
following meanings:

(1) “Co-energy metering” means a program that is the same in
all other respects as a net energy metering program, except that
the local publicly owned electric utility has elected to apply a
generation-to-generation energy and time-of-use credit formula
as provided in subdivision (i).

(2) “Electrical cooperative” means an electrical cooperative as
defined in Section 2776.

(3) “Electric utility” means an electrical corporation, a local
publicly owned electric utility, or an electrical cooperative, or any
other entity, except an electric service provider, that offers electrical
service. This section shall not apply to a local publicly owned
electric utility that serves more than 750,000 customers and that
also conveys water to its customers.

(4) “Eligible customer-generator” means a residential customer,
small commercial customer as defined in subdivision (h) of Section
331, or commercial, industrial, or agricultural customer of an
electric utility, who uses a renewable electrical generation facility,
or a combination of those facilities, with a total capacity of not
more than one megawatt, that is located on the customer’s owned,
leased, or rented premises, and is interconnected and operates in
parallel with the electrical grid, and is intended primarily to offset
part or all of the customer’s own electrical requirements.

(5)  begin delete “Renewable end delete begin insert “Large end insert electrical begin delete generation facility” end delete
begin insert corporation” end insert means a begin delete facility that generates electricity from a
renewable source listed in paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of
Section 25741 of the Public Resources Code. A small hydroelectric
generation facility is not end delete an begin delete eligible renewable end delete electrical begin delete generation
facility if it will cause an adverse impact on instream beneficial
uses or cause a change end delete begin insert corporation with more than 100,000 service
connections end insert in begin delete the volume or timing of streamflow. end delete begin insert California. end insert

(6) “Net energy metering” means measuring the difference
between the electricity supplied through the electrical grid and the
electricity generated by an eligible customer-generator and fed
back to the electrical grid over a 12-month period as described in
subdivisions (c) and (h).

(7) “Net surplus customer-generator” means an eligible
customer-generator that generates more electricity during a
12-month period than is supplied by the electric utility to the
eligible customer-generator during the same 12-month period.

(8) “Net surplus electricity” means all electricity generated by
an eligible customer-generator measured in kilowatthours over a
12-month period that exceeds the amount of electricity consumed
by that eligible customer-generator.

(9) “Net surplus electricity compensation” means a per
kilowatthour rate offered by the electric utility to the net surplus
customer-generator for net surplus electricity that is set by the
ratemaking authority pursuant to subdivision (h).

(10) “Ratemaking authority” means, for an electrical
corporation, the commission, for an electrical cooperative, its
ratesetting body selected by its shareholders or members, and for
a local publicly owned electric utility, the local elected body
responsible for setting the rates of the local publicly owned utility.

begin insert

(11) “Renewable electrical generation facility” means a facility
that generates electricity from a renewable source listed in
paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 25741 of the Public
Resources Code. A small hydroelectric generation facility is not
an eligible renewable electrical generation facility if it will cause
an adverse impact on instream beneficial uses or cause a change
in the volume or timing of streamflow.

end insert begin delete

(11)

end delete

begin insert (12) end insert  “Wind energy co-metering” means any wind energy project
greater than 50 kilowatts, but not exceeding one megawatt, where
the difference between the electricity supplied through the electrical
grid and the electricity generated by an eligible customer-generator
and fed back to the electrical grid over a 12-month period is as
described in subdivision (h). Wind energy co-metering shall be
accomplished pursuant to Section 2827.8.

(c) (1)  begin delete Every end delete begin insert Except as provided in paragraph (4) and in
Section 2827.1, every end insert electric utility shall develop a standard
contract or tariff providing for net energy metering, and shall make
this standard contract or tariff available to eligible
customer-generators, upon request, on a first-come-first-served
basis until the time that the total rated generating capacity used by
eligible customer-generators exceeds 5 percent of the electric
utility’s aggregate customer peak demand. Net energy metering
shall be accomplished using a single meter capable of registering
the flow of electricity in two directions. An additional meter or
meters to monitor the flow of electricity in each direction may be
installed with the consent of the eligible customer-generator, at
the expense of the electric utility, and the additional metering shall
be used only to provide the information necessary to accurately
bill or credit the eligible customer-generator pursuant to subdivision
(h), or to collect generating system performance information for
research purposes relative to a renewable electrical generation
facility. If the existing electrical meter of an eligible
customer-generator is not capable of measuring the flow of
electricity in two directions, the eligible customer-generator shall
be responsible for all expenses involved in purchasing and
installing a meter that is able to measure electricity flow in two
directions. If an additional meter or meters are installed, the net
energy metering calculation shall yield a result identical to that of
a single meter. An eligible customer-generator that is receiving
service other than through the standard contract or tariff may elect
to receive service through the standard contract or tariff until the
electric utility reaches the generation limit set forth in this
paragraph. Once the generation limit is reached, only eligible
customer-generators that had previously elected to receive service
pursuant to the standard contract or tariff have a right to continue
to receive service pursuant to the standard contract or tariff.
Eligibility for net energy metering does not limit an eligible
customer-generator’s eligibility for any other rebate, incentive, or
credit provided by the electric utility, or pursuant to any
governmental program, including rebates and incentives provided
pursuant to the California Solar Initiative.

(2) An electrical corporation shall include a provision in the net
energy metering contract or tariff requiring that any customer with
an existing electrical generating facility and meter who enters into
a new net energy metering contract shall provide an inspection
report to the electrical corporation, unless the electrical generating
facility and meter have been installed or inspected within the
previous three years. The inspection report shall be prepared by a
California licensed contractor who is not the owner or operator of
the facility and meter. A California licensed electrician shall
perform the inspection of the electrical portion of the facility and
meter.

(3) (A) On an annual basis, every electric utility shall make
available to the ratemaking authority information on the total rated
generating capacity used by eligible customer-generators that are
customers of that provider in the provider’s service area and the
net surplus electricity purchased by the electric utility pursuant to
this section.

(B) An electric service provider operating pursuant to Section
394 shall make available to the ratemaking authority the
information required by this paragraph for each eligible
customer-generator that is their customer for each service area of
an electrical corporation, local publicly owned electrical utility,
or electrical cooperative, in which the eligible customer-generator
has net energy metering.

(C) The ratemaking authority shall develop a process for making
the information required by this paragraph available to electric
utilities, and for using that information to determine when, pursuant
to paragraphs (1) and (4), an electric utility is not obligated to
provide net energy metering to additional eligible
customer-generators in its service area.

(4)  begin insert (A) end insert begin insert   end insert An electric utility begin insert that end insert is not begin insert a large electrical
corporation is not end insert obligated to provide net energy metering to
additional eligible customer-generators in its service area when
the combined total peak demand of all electricity used by eligible
customer-generators served by all the electric utilities in that
service area furnishing net energy metering to eligible
customer-generators exceeds 5 percent of the aggregate customer
peak demand of those electric utilities.

begin insert

(B) A large electrical corporation shall, continuously and
without interruption, provide net energy metering to additional
eligible customer-generators in its service area through December
31, 2016, or until the utility has made the following amount of
capacity available, whichever occurs first:

end insert begin insert

(i) For San Diego Gas and Electric Company, when it has made
607 megawatts of nameplate generating capacity available to
eligible customer-generators.

end insert begin insert

(ii) For Southern California Edison Company, when it has made
2,240 megawatts of nameplate generating capacity available to
eligible customer-generators.

end insert begin insert

(iii) For Pacific Gas and Electric Company, when it has made
2,409 megawatts of nameplate generating capacity available to
eligible customer-generators.

end insert begin insert

(C) Beginning January 1, 2017, or upon reaching the capacity
limitations of subparagraph (B), the obligation of a large electrical
corporation to provide service pursuant to a standard contract or
tariff shall be pursuant to Section 2827.1.

end insert begin insert

(5) An eligible customer-generator receiving service under a
net energy metering standard contract or tariff with a large
electrical corporation, pursuant to this section, shall continue to
be eligible for service pursuant to that contract or tariff until
December 31, 2020. Beginning January 1, 2017, the standard
contract or tariff eligibility shall not transfer with a change in
customer or ownership of the renewable electrical generation
facility.

end insert

(d) Every electric utility shall make all necessary forms and
contracts for net energy metering and net surplus electricity
compensation service available for download from the Internet.

(e) (1) Every electric utility shall ensure that requests for
establishment of net energy metering and net surplus electricity
compensation are processed in a time period not exceeding that
for similarly situated customers requesting new electric service,
but not to exceed 30 working days from the date it receives a
completed application form for net energy metering service or net
surplus electricity compensation, including a signed interconnection
agreement from an eligible customer-generator and the electric
inspection clearance from the governmental authority having
jurisdiction.

(2) Every electric utility shall ensure that requests for an
interconnection agreement from an eligible customer-generator
are processed in a time period not to exceed 30 working days from
the date it receives a completed application form from the eligible
customer-generator for an interconnection agreement.

(3) If an electric utility is unable to process a request within the
allowable timeframe pursuant to paragraph (1) or (2), it shall notify
the eligible customer-generator and the ratemaking authority of
the reason for its inability to process the request and the expected
completion date.

(f) (1) If a customer participates in direct transactions pursuant
to paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of Section 365, or Section 365.1,
with an electric service provider that does not provide distribution
service for the direct transactions, the electric utility that provides
distribution service for the eligible customer-generator is not
obligated to provide net energy metering or net surplus electricity
compensation to the customer.

(2) If a customer participates in direct transactions pursuant to
paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of Section 365 with an electric
service provider, and the customer is an eligible
customer-generator, the electric utility that provides distribution
service for the direct transactions may recover from the customer’s
electric service provider the incremental costs of metering and
billing service related to net energy metering and net surplus
electricity compensation in an amount set by the ratemaking
authority.

(g) Except for the time-variant kilowatthour pricing portion of
any tariff adopted by the commission pursuant to paragraph (4) of
subdivision (a) of Section 2851, each net energy metering contract
or tariff shall be identical, with respect to rate structure, all retail
rate components, and any monthly charges, to the contract or tariff
to which the same customer would be assigned if the customer did
not use a renewable electrical generation facility, except that
eligible customer-generators shall not be assessed standby charges
on the electrical generating capacity or the kilowatthour production
of a renewable electrical generation facility. The charges for all
retail rate components for eligible customer-generators shall be
based exclusively on the customer-generator’s net kilowatthour
consumption over a 12-month period, without regard to the eligible
customer-generator’s choice as to from whom it purchases
electricity that is not self-generated. Any new or additional demand
charge, standby charge, customer charge, minimum monthly
charge, interconnection charge, or any other charge that would
increase an eligible customer-generator’s costs beyond those of
other customers who are not eligible customer-generators in the
rate class to which the eligible customer-generator would otherwise
be assigned if the customer did not own, lease, rent, or otherwise
operate a renewable electrical generation facility is contrary to the
intent of this section, and shall not form a part of net energy
metering contracts or tariffs.

(h) For eligible customer-generators, the net energy metering
calculation shall be made by measuring the difference between
the electricity supplied to the eligible customer-generator and the
electricity generated by the eligible customer-generator and fed
back to the electrical grid over a 12-month period. The following
rules shall apply to the annualized net metering calculation:

(1) The eligible residential or small commercial
customer-generator, at the end of each 12-month period following
the date of final interconnection of the eligible
customer-generator’s system with an electric utility, and at each
anniversary date thereafter, shall be billed for electricity used
during that 12-month period. The electric utility shall determine
if the eligible residential or small commercial customer-generator
was a net consumer or a net surplus customer-generator during
that period.

(2) At the end of each 12-month period, where the electricity
supplied during the period by the electric utility exceeds the
electricity generated by the eligible residential or small commercial
customer-generator during that same period, the eligible residential
or small commercial customer-generator is a net electricity
consumer and the electric utility shall be owed compensation for
the eligible customer-generator’s net kilowatthour consumption
over that 12-month period. The compensation owed for the eligible
residential or small commercial customer-generator’s consumption
shall be calculated as follows:

(A) For all eligible customer-generators taking service under
contracts or tariffs employing “baseline” and “over baseline” rates,
any net monthly consumption of electricity shall be calculated
according to the terms of the contract or tariff to which the same
customer would be assigned to, or be eligible for, if the customer
was not an eligible customer-generator. If those same
customer-generators are net generators over a billing period, the
net kilowatthours generated shall be valued at the same price per
kilowatthour as the electric utility would charge for the baseline
quantity of electricity during that billing period, and if the number
of kilowatthours generated exceeds the baseline quantity, the excess
shall be valued at the same price per kilowatthour as the electric
utility would charge for electricity over the baseline quantity during
that billing period.

(B) For all eligible customer-generators taking service under
contracts or tariffs employing time-of-use rates, any net monthly
consumption of electricity shall be calculated according to the
terms of the contract or tariff to which the same customer would
be assigned, or be eligible for, if the customer was not an eligible
customer-generator. When those same customer-generators are
net generators during any discrete time-of-use period, the net
kilowatthours produced shall be valued at the same price per
kilowatthour as the electric utility would charge for retail
kilowatthour sales during that same time-of-use period. If the
eligible customer-generator’s time-of-use electrical meter is unable
to measure the flow of electricity in two directions, paragraph (1)
of subdivision (c) shall apply.

(C) For all eligible residential and small commercial
customer-generators and for each billing period, the net balance
of moneys owed to the electric utility for net consumption of
electricity or credits owed to the eligible customer-generator for
net generation of electricity shall be carried forward as a monetary
value until the end of each 12-month period. For all eligible
commercial, industrial, and agricultural customer-generators, the
net balance of moneys owed shall be paid in accordance with the
electric utility’s normal billing cycle, except that if the eligible
commercial, industrial, or agricultural customer-generator is a net
electricity producer over a normal billing cycle, any excess
kilowatthours generated during the billing cycle shall be carried
over to the following billing period as a monetary value, calculated
according to the procedures set forth in this section, and appear as
a credit on the eligible commercial, industrial, or agricultural
customer-generator’s account, until the end of the annual period
when paragraph (3) shall apply.

(3) At the end of each 12-month period, where the electricity
generated by the eligible customer-generator during the 12-month
period exceeds the electricity supplied by the electric utility during
that same period, the eligible customer-generator is a net surplus
customer-generator and the electric utility, upon an affirmative
election by the net surplus customer-generator, shall either (A)
provide net surplus electricity compensation for any net surplus
electricity generated during the prior 12-month period, or (B) allow
the net surplus customer-generator to apply the net surplus
electricity as a credit for kilowatthours subsequently supplied by
the electric utility to the net surplus customer-generator. For an
eligible customer-generator that does not affirmatively elect to
receive service pursuant to net surplus electricity compensation,
the electric utility shall retain any excess kilowatthours generated
during the prior 12-month period. The eligible customer-generator
not affirmatively electing to receive service pursuant to net surplus
electricity compensation shall not be owed any compensation for
the net surplus electricity unless the electric utility enters into a
purchase agreement with the eligible customer-generator for those
excess kilowatthours. Every electric utility shall provide notice to
eligible customer-generators that they are eligible to receive net
surplus electricity compensation for net surplus electricity, that
they must elect to receive net surplus electricity compensation,
and that the 12-month period commences when the electric utility
receives the eligible customer-generator’s election. For an electric
utility that is an electrical corporation or electrical cooperative,
the commission may adopt requirements for providing notice and
the manner by which eligible customer-generators may elect to
receive net surplus electricity compensation.

(4) (A) An eligible customer-generator with multiple meters
may elect to aggregate the electrical load of the meters located on
the property where the renewable electrical generation facility is
located and on all property adjacent or contiguous to the property
on which the renewable electrical generation facility is located, if
those properties are solely owned, leased, or rented by the eligible
customer-generator. If the eligible customer-generator elects to
aggregate the electric load pursuant to this paragraph, the electric
utility shall use the aggregated load for the purpose of determining
whether an eligible customer-generator is a net consumer or a net
surplus customer-generator during a 12-month period.

(B) If an eligible customer-generator chooses to aggregate
pursuant to subparagraph (A), the eligible customer-generator shall
be permanently ineligible to receive net surplus electricity
compensation, and the electric utility shall retain any kilowatthours
in excess of the eligible customer-generator’s aggregated electrical
load generated during the 12-month period.

(C) If an eligible customer-generator with multiple meters elects
to aggregate the electrical load of those meters pursuant to
subparagraph (A), and different rate schedules are applicable to
service at any of those meters, the electricity generated by the
renewable electrical generation facility shall be allocated to each
of the meters in proportion to the electrical load served by those
meters. For example, if the eligible customer-generator receives
electric service through three meters, two meters being at an
agricultural rate that each provide service to 25 percent of the
customer’s total load, and a third meter, at a commercial rate, that
provides service to 50 percent of the customer’s total load, then
50 percent of the electrical generation of the eligible renewable
generation facility shall be allocated to the third meter that provides
service at the commercial rate and 25 percent of the generation
shall be allocated to each of the two meters providing service at
the agricultural rate. This proportionate allocation shall be
computed each billing period.

(D) This paragraph shall not become operative for an electrical
corporation unless the commission determines that allowing
eligible customer-generators to aggregate their load from multiple
meters will not result in an increase in the expected revenue
obligations of customers who are not eligible customer-generators.
The commission shall make this determination by September 30,
2013. In making this determination, the commission shall determine
if there are any public purpose or other noncommodity charges
that the eligible customer-generators would pay pursuant to the
net energy metering program as it exists prior to aggregation, that
the eligible customer-generator would not pay if permitted to
aggregate the electrical load of multiple meters pursuant to this
paragraph.

(E) A local publicly owned electric utility or electrical
cooperative shall only allow eligible customer-generators to
aggregate their load if the utility’s ratemaking authority determines
that allowing eligible customer-generators to aggregate their load
from multiple meters will not result in an increase in the expected
revenue obligations of customers that are not eligible
customer-generators. The ratemaking authority of a local publicly
owned electric utility or electrical cooperative shall make this
determination within 180 days of the first request made by an
eligible customer-generator to aggregate their load. In making the
determination, the ratemaking authority shall determine if there
are any public purpose or other noncommodity charges that the
eligible customer-generator would pay pursuant to the net energy
metering or co-energy metering program of the utility as it exists
prior to aggregation, that the eligible customer-generator would
not pay if permitted to aggregate the electrical load of multiple
meters pursuant to this paragraph. If the ratemaking authority
determines that load aggregation will not cause an incremental
rate impact on the utility’s customers that are not eligible
customer-generators, the local publicly owned electric utility or
electrical cooperative shall permit an eligible customer-generator
to elect to aggregate the electrical load of multiple meters pursuant
to this paragraph. The ratemaking authority may reconsider any
determination made pursuant to this subparagraph in a subsequent
public proceeding.

(F) For purposes of this paragraph, parcels that are divided by
a street, highway, or public thoroughfare are considered contiguous,
provided they are otherwise contiguous and under the same
ownership.

(G) An eligible customer-generator may only elect to aggregate
the electrical load of multiple meters if the renewable electrical
generation facility, or a combination of those facilities, has a total
generating capacity of not more than one megawatt.

(H) Notwithstanding subdivision (g), an eligible
customer-generator electing to aggregate the electrical load of
multiple meters pursuant to this subdivision shall remit service
charges for the cost of providing billing services to the electric
utility that provides service to the meters.

(5) (A) The ratemaking authority shall establish a net surplus
electricity compensation valuation to compensate the net surplus
customer-generator for the value of net surplus electricity generated
by the net surplus customer-generator. The commission shall
establish the valuation in a ratemaking proceeding. The ratemaking
authority for a local publicly owned electric utility shall establish
the valuation in a public proceeding. The net surplus electricity
compensation valuation shall be established so as to provide the
net surplus customer-generator just and reasonable compensation
for the value of net surplus electricity, while leaving other
ratepayers unaffected. The ratemaking authority shall determine
whether the compensation will include, where appropriate
justification exists, either or both of the following components:

(i) The value of the electricity itself.

(ii) The value of the renewable attributes of the electricity.

(B) In establishing the rate pursuant to subparagraph (A), the
ratemaking authority shall ensure that the rate does not result in a
shifting of costs between eligible customer-generators and other
bundled service customers.

(6) (A) Upon adoption of the net surplus electricity
compensation rate by the ratemaking authority, any renewable
energy credit, as defined in Section 399.12, for net surplus
electricity purchased by the electric utility shall belong to the
electric utility. Any renewable energy credit associated with
electricity generated by the eligible customer-generator that is
utilized by the eligible customer-generator shall remain the property
of the eligible customer-generator.

(B) Upon adoption of the net surplus electricity compensation
rate by the ratemaking authority, the net surplus electricity
purchased by the electric utility shall count toward the electric
utility’s renewables portfolio standard annual procurement targets
for the purposes of paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of Section
399.15, or for a local publicly owned electric utility, the renewables
portfolio standard annual procurement targets established pursuant
to Section 387.

(7) The electric utility shall provide every eligible residential
or small commercial customer-generator with net electricity
consumption and net surplus electricity generation information
with each regular bill. That information shall include the current
monetary balance owed the electric utility for net electricity
consumed, or the net surplus electricity generated, since the last
12-month period ended. Notwithstanding this subdivision, an
electric utility shall permit that customer to pay monthly for net
energy consumed.

(8) If an eligible residential or small commercial
customer-generator terminates the customer relationship with the
electric utility, the electric utility shall reconcile the eligible
customer-generator’s consumption and production of electricity
during any part of a 12-month period following the last
reconciliation, according to the requirements set forth in this
subdivision, except that those requirements shall apply only to the
months since the most recent 12-month bill.

(9) If an electric service provider or electric utility providing
net energy metering to a residential or small commercial
customer-generator ceases providing that electric service to that
customer during any 12-month period, and the customer-generator
enters into a new net energy metering contract or tariff with a new
electric service provider or electric utility, the 12-month period,
with respect to that new electric service provider or electric utility,
shall commence on the date on which the new electric service
provider or electric utility first supplies electric service to the
customer-generator.

(i) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this section,
paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) shall apply to an eligible
customer-generator with a capacity of more than 10 kilowatts, but
not exceeding one megawatt, that receives electric service from a
local publicly owned electric utility that has elected to utilize a
co-energy metering program unless the local publicly owned
electric utility chooses to provide service for eligible
customer-generators with a capacity of more than 10 kilowatts in
accordance with subdivisions (g) and (h):

(1) The eligible customer-generator shall be required to utilize
a meter, or multiple meters, capable of separately measuring
electricity flow in both directions. All meters shall provide
time-of-use measurements of electricity flow, and the customer
shall take service on a time-of-use rate schedule. If the existing
meter of the eligible customer-generator is not a time-of-use meter
or is not capable of measuring total flow of electricity in both
directions, the eligible customer-generator shall be responsible for
all expenses involved in purchasing and installing a meter that is
both time-of-use and able to measure total electricity flow in both
directions. This subdivision shall not restrict the ability of an
eligible customer-generator to utilize any economic incentives
provided by a governmental agency or an electric utility to reduce
its costs for purchasing and installing a time-of-use meter.

(2) The consumption of electricity from the local publicly owned
electric utility shall result in a cost to the eligible
customer-generator to be priced in accordance with the standard
rate charged to the eligible customer-generator in accordance with
the rate structure to which the customer would be assigned if the
customer did not use a renewable electrical generation facility.
The generation of electricity provided to the local publicly owned
electric utility shall result in a credit to the eligible
customer-generator and shall be priced in accordance with the
generation component, established under the applicable structure
to which the customer would be assigned if the customer did not
use a renewable electrical generation facility.

(3) All costs and credits shall be shown on the eligible
customer-generator’s bill for each billing period. In any months
in which the eligible customer-generator has been a net consumer
of electricity calculated on the basis of value determined pursuant
to paragraph (2), the customer-generator shall owe to the local
publicly owned electric utility the balance of electricity costs and
credits during that billing period. In any billing period in which
the eligible customer-generator has been a net producer of
electricity calculated on the basis of value determined pursuant to
paragraph (2), the local publicly owned electric utility shall owe
to the eligible customer-generator the balance of electricity costs
and credits during that billing period. Any net credit to the eligible
customer-generator of electricity costs may be carried forward to
subsequent billing periods, provided that a local publicly owned
electric utility may choose to carry the credit over as a kilowatthour
credit consistent with the provisions of any applicable contract or
tariff, including any differences attributable to the time of
generation of the electricity. At the end of each 12-month period,
the local publicly owned electric utility may reduce any net credit
due to the eligible customer-generator to zero.

(j) A renewable electrical generation facility used by an eligible
customer-generator shall meet all applicable safety and
performance standards established by the National Electrical Code,
the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, and accredited
testing laboratories, including Underwriters Laboratories
Incorporated and, where applicable, rules of the commission
regarding safety and reliability. A customer-generator whose
renewable electrical generation facility meets those standards and
rules shall not be required to install additional controls, perform
or pay for additional tests, or purchase additional liability
insurance.

(k) If the commission determines that there are cost or revenue
obligations for an electrical corporation that may not be recovered
from customer-generators acting pursuant to this section, those
obligations shall remain within the customer class from which any
shortfall occurred and shall not be shifted to any other customer
class. Net energy metering and co-energy metering customers shall
not be exempt from the public goods charges imposed pursuant to
Article 7 (commencing with Section 381), Article 8 (commencing
with Section 385), or Article 15 (commencing with Section 399)
of Chapter 2.3 of Part 1.

(l) A net energy metering, co-energy metering, or wind energy
co-metering customer shall reimburse the Department of Water
Resources for all charges that would otherwise be imposed on the
customer by the commission to recover bond-related costs pursuant
to an agreement between the commission and the Department of
Water Resources pursuant to Section 80110 of the Water Code,
as well as the costs of the department equal to the share of the
department’s estimated net unavoidable power purchase contract
costs attributable to the customer. The commission shall
incorporate the determination into an existing proceeding before
the commission, and shall ensure that the charges are
nonbypassable. Until the commission has made a determination
regarding the nonbypassable charges, net energy metering,
co-energy metering, and wind energy co-metering shall continue
under the same rules, procedures, terms, and conditions as were
applicable on December 31, 2002.

(m) In implementing the requirements of subdivisions (k) and
(l), an eligible customer-generator shall not be required to replace
its existing meter except as set forth in paragraph (1) of subdivision
(c), nor shall the electric utility require additional measurement of
usage beyond that which is necessary for customers in the same
rate class as the eligible customer-generator.

(n) It is the intent of the Legislature that the Treasurer
incorporate net energy metering, including net surplus electricity
compensation, co-energy metering, and wind energy co-metering
projects undertaken pursuant to this section as sustainable building
methods or distributive energy technologies for purposes of
evaluating low-income housing projects.

begin insert

begin insert SEC. 9. end insert   

end insert

begin insert Section 2827.1 of the end insert begin insert Public Utilities Code end insert begin insert is amended
and renumbered to read: end insert

begin delete 2827.1. end delete
begin insert 2827.3. end insert   

(a) By October 1, 2013, the commission shall complete
a study to determine who benefits from, and who bears the
economic burden, if any, of, the net energy metering program
authorized pursuant to Section 2827, and to determine the extent
to which each class of ratepayers and each region of the state
receiving service under the net energy metering program is paying
the full cost of the services provided to them by electrical
corporations, and the extent to which those customers pay their
share of the costs of public purpose programs. In evaluating
program costs and benefits for purposes of the study, the
commission shall consider all electricity generated by renewable
electric generating systems, including the electricity used onsite
to reduce a customer’s consumption of electricity that otherwise
would be supplied through the electrical grid, as well as the
electrical output that is being fed back to the electrical grid for
which the customer receives credit or net surplus electricity
compensation under net energy metering. The study shall quantify
the costs and benefits of net energy metering to participants and
nonparticipants and shall further disaggregate the results by utility,
customer class, and household income groups within the residential
class. The study shall further gather and present data on the income
distribution of residential net energy metering participants. In order
to assess the costs and benefits at various levels of net energy
metering implementation, the study shall be conducted using
multiple net energy metering penetration scenarios, including, at
a minimum, the capacity needed to reach the solar photovoltaic
goals of the California Solar Initiative pursuant to Section 25780
of the Public Resources Code, and the estimated net energy
metering capacity under the 5-percent minimum requirement of
paragraphs (1) and (4) of subdivision (c) of Section 2827.

(b) (1) The commission shall report the results of the study to
the Legislature within 30 days of its completion.

(2) The report shall be submitted in compliance with Section
9795 of the Government Code.

(3) Pursuant to Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, this
section is repealed on July 1, 2017.

begin insert

begin insert SEC. 10. end insert   

end insert

begin insert Section 2827.1 is added to the end insert begin insert Public Utilities Code end insert begin insert ,
to read: end insert

begin insert

begin insert 2827.1. end insert   

(a) For purposes of this section, “eligible
customer-generator,” “large electrical corporation,” and
“renewable electrical generation facility” have the same meanings
as defined in Section 2827.

(b) The commission shall develop a standard contract or tariff
for eligible customer-generators with a renewable electrical
generation facility that are customers of a large electrical
corporation no later than July 1, 2015. The commission may
develop the standard contract or tariff prior to July 1, 2015, and
may require a large electrical corporation that has reached the
capacity limitation of subparagraph (B) of paragraph (4) of
subdivision (c) of Section 2827 to offer the standard contract or
tariff to eligible customer-generators. A large electrical
corporation shall offer the standard contract or tariff to an eligible
customer-generator beginning January 1, 2017, or prior to that
date if ordered to do so by the commission because it has reached
the capacity limitation of subparagraph (B) of paragraph (4) of
subdivision (c) of Section 2827. The commission may revise the
standard contract or tariff as appropriate to achieve the objectives
of this section. At a minimum, in developing the standard contract
or tariff, the commission shall do all of the following:

(1) Establish rates, terms of service, and billing rules for eligible
customer-generators.

(2) Ensure that the standard contract or tariff made available
to eligible customer-generators is based on the electrical system
costs and benefits received by nonparticipating customers of the
electrical corporation for the renewable electrical generation
facility located on the customers’ premises.

(3) Preserve nonparticipant ratepayer indifference.

(c) Beginning January 1, 2017, or when ordered to do so by the
commission because the large electrical corporation has reached
its capacity limitation of subparagraph (B) of paragraph (4) of
subdivision (c) of Section 2827, all new eligible
customer-generators shall be subject to the standard contract or
tariff developed by the commission and any rules, terms, and rates
developed pursuant to subdivision (b) of this section, and shall
not be eligible to receive net energy metering pursuant to Section
2827. There shall be no limitation on the number of new eligible
customer-generators entitled to receive service pursuant to the
standard contract or tariff after January 1, 2017. An eligible
customer-generator that has received service under a net energy
metering standard contract or tariff pursuant to Section 2827 that
is no longer eligible to receive service by operation of paragraph
(5) of subdivision (c) of that section shall be eligible to receive
service pursuant to the standard contract or tariff developed by
the commission pursuant to this section.

end insert

begin insert

begin insert SEC. 11. end insert   

end insert begin insert

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.

end insert