BILL NUMBER: AB 1258	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Skinner

                        FEBRUARY 22, 2013

   An act to amend Section 2836 of the Public Utilities Code,
relating to electricity.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 1258, as introduced, Skinner. Electricity: hydroelectric
facilities.
   Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has
regulatory authority over public utilities and can establish its own
procedures, subject to statutory limitations or directions and
constitutional requirements of due process.
   Existing law requires the PUC to open a new proceeding to
determine the appropriate targets, if any, for each load-serving
entity to procure viable and cost-effective energy storage systems to
be achieved by December 31, 2015, and December 31, 2020.
   This bill would require the commission to open a new proceeding or
expand the scope of an existing proceeding to determine the
potential use of hydroelectric facilities and specified pumped
storage facilities to provide energy resources with deliverability
characteristics that may include dispatchable baseload, firm, and
as-available capacity.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.


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

  SECTION 1.  It is the intent of the Legislature that load serving
entities maximize the use of existing hydroelectric and pumped
storage facilities for energy storage and renewable energy
integration, subject to constraints required to protect fish,
wildlife, and public safety.
  SEC. 2.  Section 2836 of the Public Utilities Code is amended to
read:
   2836.  (a) (1) On or before March 1, 2012, the commission shall
open a proceeding to determine appropriate targets, if any, for each
load-serving entity to procure viable and cost-effective energy
storage systems to be achieved by December 31, 2015, and December 31,
2020. As part of this proceeding, the commission may consider a
variety of possible policies to encourage the cost-effective
deployment of energy storage systems, including refinement of
existing procurement methods to properly value energy storage
systems.
   (2) The commission shall adopt the procurement targets, if
determined to be appropriate pursuant to paragraph (1), by October 1,
2013.
   (3) The commission shall reevaluate the determinations made
pursuant to this subdivision not less than once every three years.
   (4) Nothing in this section prohibits the commission's evaluation
and approval of any application for funding or recovery of costs of
any ongoing or new development, trialing, and testing of energy
storage projects or technologies outside of the proceeding required
by this chapter.
   (b) (1) On or before March 1, 2012, the governing board of each
local publicly owned electric utility shall initiate a process to
determine appropriate targets, if any, for the utility to procure
viable and cost-effective energy storage systems to be achieved by
December 31, 2016, and December 31, 2020. As part of this proceeding,
the governing board may consider a variety of possible policies to
encourage the cost-effective deployment of energy storage systems,
including refinement of existing procurement methods to properly
value energy storage systems.
   (2) The governing board shall adopt the procurement targets, if
determined to be appropriate pursuant to paragraph (1), by October 1,
2014.
   (3) The governing board shall reevaluate the determinations made
pursuant to this subdivision not less than once every three years.

   (c) (1) On or before March 1, 2014, the commission shall open a
new proceeding or expand the scope of an existing proceeding to
determine the potential use of hydroelectric facilities and pumped
storage facilities specified in paragraph (2) to provide energy
resources with deliverability characteristics that may include
dispatchable baseload, firm, and as-available capacity.  
   (2) The pumped storage facilities to which paragraph (1) applies
are the Helms pumped storage facility, the Balsam Meadow pumped
storage facility, the Oroville pumped storage facility, and the San
Luis pumped storage facility.