AB 793, as introduced, Quirk. Energy efficiency.
(1) Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission has regulatory authority over public utilities, including electrical corporations and gas corporations, as defined. Existing law requires the commission to require an electrical or gas corporation to perform home weatherization services for low-income customers, if the commission determines that a significant need for those services exists in the corporation’s service territory. For these purposes, existing law authorizes weatherization, where feasible, to include certain measures for a dwelling unit. Existing law also authorizes weatherization, for these purposes, to include other measures determined by the commission to be feasible, taking into consideration the cost-effectiveness of the measures as a whole and the policy of reducing energy-related hardships facing low-income households.
This bill would require weatherization, for the above-specified purposes, to include home energy management technology, as defined, determined by the commission to be feasible, taking into consideration the above-described factors.
(2) Existing law requires the commission, by July 1, 2010, and in consultation with the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission, the Independent System Operator, and other key stakeholders, to determine the requirements for a smart grid deployment plan consistent with specified policies and federal law. Existing law requires each electrical corporation, by July 1, 2011, to develop and submit a smart grid deployment plan to the commission for approval.
This bill would require the commission to require each electrical corporation to develop and implement a plan to educate its residential and small business customers whose homes or places of business are equipped with an advanced meter about how they can use data from the advanced meter to better understand and control their use of electricity. The bill would require the commission to require each electrical corporation to develop a rebate program to reimburse a residential or small business customer, as prescribed, who purchases energy management technology for use in the customer’s home or place of business.
(3) Because a violation of any part of any order, decision, rule, direction, demand, or requirement of the Public Utilities Commission is a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
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.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: yes.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
Section 2790 of the Public Utilities Code is
2amended to read:
(a) The commission shall require an electrical or gas
4corporation to perform home weatherization services for
5low-income customers, as determined by the commission under
6Section 739, if the commission determines that a significant need
7for those services exists in the corporation’s service territory, taking
8into consideration both the cost-effectiveness of the services and
9the policy of reducing the hardships facing low-income households.
10(b) (1) For purposes of this section, “weatherization” may
11include, where feasible, any of the following measures for any
12dwelling unit:
P3 1(A) Attic insulation.
2(B) Caulking.
3(C) Weatherstripping.
4(D) Low flow showerhead.
5(E) Waterheater blanket.
6(F) Door and building envelope repairs that reduce air
7infiltration.
8(2) The commission shall direct any electrical or gas corporation
9to provide as many of these measures as are feasible for each
10eligible low-income dwelling unit.
11(c) “Weatherization” may also include other building
12conservation measures,begin insert home energy management technology,end insert
13 energy-efficient appliances, and
energy education programs
14determined by the commission to be feasible, taking into
15consideration for all measures both the cost-effectiveness of the
16measures as a whole and the policy of reducing energy-related
17hardships facing low-income households.
18(d) Weatherization programs shall use the needs assessment
19pursuant to Section 382.1 to maximize efficiency of delivery.
20(e) For purposes of this section, the following terms have the
21following meanings:
22(1) “Home energy management technology” is a product or
23service that allows a customer to better understand and manage
24energy use in the customer’s home and may include, but is not
25limited to, a home energy monitor.
26(2) “Home
energy monitor” is a device that is able to provide
27household electricity consumption in real-time by connecting to
28an advanced meter equipped with home area network functionality.
Section 8365 is added to the Public Utilities Code, to
30read:
(a) The commission shall require each electrical
32corporation to do the following:
33(1) Develop and implement a plan by June 30, 2016, to educate
34its residential customers and small business customers whose
35homes or places of business are equipped with an advanced meter
36about how they can use data from the advanced meter to better
37understand and control their use of electricity. The plan shall
38include notification of the rebate program developed pursuant to
39paragraph (2).
P4 1(2) Develop a rebate program no later than June 30, 2016, to
2reimburse a residential customer or small business customer who
3purchases energy management technology for use in the customer’s
4home or place of business.
The rebate shall be an amount equal to
5___ percent of the retail value of the product or service, not to
6exceed ___.
7(b) For purposes of this section, the following terms have the
8following meanings:
9(1) “Energy management technology” is a product or service
10that allows a customer to better understand and manage electricity
11use in the customer’s home or place of business and may include,
12but is not limited to, an energy monitor.
13(2) “Energy monitor” is a device that is able to provide
14electricity consumption in real-time or near real-time by connecting
15to an advanced meter equipped with home area network
16functionality.
No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to
18Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because
19the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school
20district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or
21infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty
22for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of
23the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within
24the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California
25Constitution.
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