SB 418,
as amended, Jackson. Energy:begin delete low-income energy efficiency programs.end deletebegin insert nuclear fission powerplants.end insert
(1) Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission, commonly known as the PUC, has regulatory authority over public utilities, including electrical corporations, as defined. The Public Utilities Act prohibits any electrical corporation from beginning the construction of, among other things, a line, plant, or system, or of any extension thereof, without having first obtained from the PUC a certificate that the present or future public convenience and necessity require or will require that construction. A violation of the act, or an order, decision, rule, direction, demand, or requirement of the PUC is a crime.
end insertbegin insertExisting federal law requires an operator of a nuclear fission thermal powerplant to obtain from the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission a license for the operation of the powerplant.
end insertbegin insertThis bill would enact the Nuclear Energy Planning and Responsibility Act and would require the PUC to require an applicant electrical corporation applying for ratepayer funding, or reopening an existing application for ratepayer funding, for the relicensing of a nuclear fission thermal powerplant with a generation capacity of 50 megawatts or greater by the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission, to submit a detailed study of the project needs and costs in order to assess the cost-effectiveness of the continued operation of the nuclear fission thermal powerplant. The bill would require the PUC to review the study to assess the cost-effectiveness of the continued operation of the nuclear fission thermal powerplant. Because a violation of this provision is a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
end insertbegin insert(2) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
end insertbegin insertThis bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
end insertExisting law requires the Public Utilities Commission to establish a program of assistance to low-income electric and gas customers, referred to as the California Alternate Rates for Energy or CARE program. Existing law requires programs provided to low-income electricity customers to be funded at not less than 1996 authorized levels based on an assessment of customer need.
end deleteThis bill instead would require programs provided to low-income electricity customers to be funded at not less than 2000 authorized levels based on an assessment of customer need.
end deleteVote: majority.
Appropriation: no.
Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: begin deleteno end deletebegin insertyesend insert.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
This act shall be known, and may be cited, as the Nuclear Energy Planning and Responsibility Act.
end insertbegin insertSection 1091.5 is added to the end insertbegin insertPublic Utilities Codeend insertbegin insert, to read:end insert
begin insert(a) Upon application to the commission for ratepayer funding, or reopening of an existing application for ratepayer funding, for the relicensing of a nuclear fission thermal powerplant with a generation capacity of 50 megawatts or greater by the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the commission shall require the applicant electrical corporation operating the nuclear fission thermal powerplant to submit a detailed study of the project needs and costs in order to assess the cost-effectiveness of the continued operation of the nuclear fission thermal powerplant.
(b) The study shall include, but is not limited to, all of the following areas of concern:
(1) The effect of the nuclear fission thermal powerplant on system reliability and the affordable supply of electricity, including planned provisions for emergency operations and unplanned shutdowns as well as the costs of replacement power.
(2) The costs attributable to major disruptions in electrical generation due to aging or major seismic events that may require repair, replacement, or retrofit in excess of fifty million dollars ($50,000,000) at the nuclear fission thermal powerplant.
(3) The costs of responding to, or mitigating for, any new federal requirements that have arisen or are anticipated to become enforceable during the period of the license extension.
(4) Potential state and local costs and impacts associated with current and accumulating high-level radioactive waste and its ongoing storage at the nuclear fission thermal powerplant.
(5) Potential state and local costs associated with mitigation or alternatives to the use of once-through cooling at the nuclear fission thermal powerplant as required by state or federal law.
(6) Potential state and local costs associated with expanding and maintaining emergency planning zones.
(7) Costs associated with achieving compliance with requirements for a federal consistency certification granted by the California Coastal Commission to the electrical corporation, required for the relicensing of the nuclear fission thermal powerplant by the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
(c) The commission shall independently review the study to assess the cost-effectiveness of the continued operation of the nuclear fission thermal powerplant.
No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to
31Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because
32the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school
33district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or
34infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty
35for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of
36the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within
37the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California
38Constitution.
Section 382 of the Public Utilities Code is
40amended to read:
(a) Programs provided to low-income electricity
2customers, including, but not limited to, targeted energy efficiency
3services and the California Alternate Rates for Energy program,
4shall be funded at not less than 2000 authorized levels based on
5an assessment of customer need.
6(b) In order to meet legitimate needs of electric and gas
7customers who are unable to pay their electric and gas bills and
8who satisfy eligibility criteria for assistance, recognizing that
9electricity is a basic necessity, and that all residents of the state
10should be able to afford essential electricity and gas supplies, the
11commission shall ensure that low-income ratepayers are not
12jeopardized or overburdened by monthly energy expenditures.
13Energy expenditure may be reduced through the establishment of
14different rates for low-income ratepayers, different levels of rate
15assistance, and energy efficiency programs.
16(c) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit electric
17and gas providers from offering any special rate or program for
18low-income ratepayers that is not specifically required in this
19section.
20(d) Beginning in 2002, an assessment of the needs of
21low-income electricity and gas ratepayers shall be conducted
22periodically by the commission with the assistance of the
23Low-Income Oversight Board. The assessment shall evaluate
24low-income program implementation and the effectiveness of
25weatherization services and energy efficiency measures in
26low-income households. The assessment shall consider whether
27existing programs adequately address low-income electricity and
28gas customers’ energy expenditures, hardship, language needs,
29and economic burdens.
30(e) The commission shall, by not later than December 31, 2020,
31ensure that all eligible low-income electricity and gas customers
32are given the opportunity to participate in low-income energy
33efficiency programs, including customers occupying apartments
34or similar multiunit residential structures. The commission and
35electrical corporations and gas corporations shall make all
36reasonable
efforts to coordinate ratepayer-funded programs with
37other energy conservation and efficiency programs and to obtain
38additional federal funding to support actions undertaken pursuant
39to this subdivision. These programs shall be designed to provide
40long-term reductions in energy consumption at the dwelling unit
P5 1based on an audit or assessment of the dwelling unit, and may
2include improved insulation, energy efficient appliances, measures
3that utilize solar energy, and other improvements to the physical
4structure.
5(f) The commission shall
allocate funds necessary to meet the
6low-income objectives in this section.
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