BILL NUMBER: AB 793 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN SENATE AUGUST 18, 2015
AMENDED IN SENATE JULY 7, 2015
AMENDED IN SENATE JUNE 9, 2015
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 16, 2015
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Quirk
FEBRUARY 25, 2015
An act to amend Section 2790 of, and to add Section 8365 to, the
Public Utilities Code, relating to public utilities.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 793, as amended, 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 energy management technology 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 an
energy efficiency program administrator ele
ctrical or gas corporation to develop and implement a
plan to educate residential and small and medium business customers
to better understand and control their use of electricity or gas, as
provided. The bill would require the commission to require an energy
efficiency program administrator to develop an incentive
a program to provide incentives to a residential or small
or medium business customer who acquires to
acquire energy management technology for use in the customer's
home or place of business. The bill would require the
commission to require an electrical or gas corporation to develop a
plan to educate residential customers and small and medium business
customers about the incentive program. The bill would require
the commission to require the energy efficiency program
administrator electrical or gas corporation to
annually report to the commission on actual customer savings
resulting from the education plan and the
incentive program.
The bill would require the commission to evaluate all
energy efficiency program administrator electrical or
gas corporation energy savings claims achieved
pursuant to the education plan and incentive
program described above in a manner consistent with
commission-adopted evaluation protocols.
(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 1. Section 2790 of the Public Utilities Code is amended to
read:
2790. (a) The commission shall require an electrical or gas
corporation to perform home weatherization services for low-income
customers, as determined by the commission under Section 739, if the
commission determines that a significant need for those services
exists in the corporation's service territory, taking into
consideration both the cost-effectiveness of the services and the
policy of reducing the hardships facing low-income households.
(b) (1) For purposes of this section, "weatherization" may
include, where feasible, any of the following measures for any
dwelling unit:
(A) Attic insulation.
(B) Caulking.
(C) Weatherstripping.
(D) Low flow showerhead.
(E) Waterheater blanket.
(F) Door and building envelope repairs that reduce air
infiltration.
(2) The commission shall direct any electrical or gas corporation
to provide as many of these measures as are feasible for each
eligible low-income dwelling unit.
(c) "Weatherization" may also include other building conservation
measures, energy management technology, energy-efficient appliances,
and energy education programs determined by the commission to be
feasible, taking into consideration for all measures both the
cost-effectiveness of the measures as a whole and the policy of
reducing energy-related hardships facing low-income households.
(d) Weatherization programs shall use the needs assessment
pursuant to Section 382.1 to maximize efficiency of delivery.
(e) For purposes of this section, "energy management technology"
may include a product, service, or software that allows a customer to
better understand and manage energy use in the customer's home.
SEC. 2. Section 8365 is added to the Public Utilities Code, to
read:
8365. (a) The commission shall require an energy
efficiency program administrator electrical or gas
corporation to do the following:
(1) Develop and implement a plan by June 30, 2016, to educate
residential customers and small and medium business customers to
better understand and control their use of electricity or gas. The
plan shall include, where applicable, notification of the incentive
program developed pursuant to paragraph (2). The plan shall identify
the role of energy efficiency program administrators, demonstrate how
efforts will be coordinated, demonstrate how duplicative costs and
redundancies will be avoided, and consider existing educational and
outreach efforts. The commission may require that the plan be
integrated into any education campaign required by the commission.
(2)
(1) Develop a program no later than January 1, 2017,
within the energy efficiency program administrators
electrical or gas corporation's demand-side
management programs authorized by the commission, to provide
incentives to a residential or small or medium business customer
who acquires to acquire energy
management technology for use in the customer's home or place of
business. The energy efficiency program administrator
electrical or gas corporation may allow third
parties or local governments to apply for incentives on behalf of
customers. The energy efficiency program administrator
electrical or gas corporation shall work with
third parties, local governments, and other interested parties in
developing the program. The energy efficiency program
administrator electrical or gas corporation
shall establish incentive amounts based on savings estimation and
baseline policies adopted by the commission.
(2) Develop a plan by September 30, 2016, to educate residential
customers and small and medium business customers about the incentive
program developed pursuant to paragraph (1). The commission may
require that the plan be integrated into, or coordinated with, any
education campaign required by the commission.
(3) Annually report to the commission on actual customer savings
resulting from the education plan and the
incentive program established pursuant to this section. The
commission shall evaluate all energy efficiency program
administrator electrical or gas corporation
energy savings claims achieved pursuant to the education
plan and incentive program in a manner consistent with
commission-adopted evaluation protocols.
protocols and determine if the program shall continue or be modified.
(b) For purposes of this section, "energy management technology"
may include a product, service, or software that allows a customer to
better understand and manage electricity use in the customer's home
or place of business.
(c) Nothing in this section shall be construed to amend or limit
the ability of a community choice aggregator to apply to administer
an energy efficiency or conservation program or a demand-side
management program as set forth in Section 381.1.
SEC. 3. 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.