BILL NUMBER: AB 1937	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Gomez

                        FEBRUARY 12, 2016

   An act to add Section 25500.7 to the Public Resources Code,
relating to thermal powerplants.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 1937, as introduced, Gomez. Thermal powerplants: certification.

   The Warren-Alquist State Energy Resources Conservation and
Development Act establishes the State Energy Resources Conservation
and Development Commission and requires it to certify sufficient
sites and related facilities to provide a supply of electricity
sufficient to accommodate projected demand for power statewide. The
act grants the commission the exclusive authority to certify any
stationary or floating electrical generating facility using any
source of thermal energy, with a generating capacity of 50 megawatts
or more, and any facilities appurtenant to the generation facility.
   This bill would require the commission, before certifying a
generation facility and related facilities that use fossil fuel or
natural gas resources, to assess alternative means of achieving a
sufficient supply of electric power to accommodate projected demand.
The bill would prohibit the commission from certifying this type of
generation facility or related facilities if it finds that
alternative means of achieving sufficient electric power without the
use of fossil fuel or natural gas resources can be accomplished.
   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.  Section 25500.7 is added to the Public Resources Code,
to read:
   25500.7.  (a) Before certifying a site and related facilities that
use fossil fuel or natural gas resources, the commission shall
assess alternative means of achieving a sufficient supply of electric
power, including, but not limited to, energy efficiency, demand
response, and distributed energy resources, to accommodate the demand
projected in the most recent forecast of statewide and service area
electric power demand.
   (b) The commission shall not certify a site or related facilities
that use fossil fuel or natural gas resources if it finds that
alternative means of achieving sufficient electric power without the
use of fossil fuel or natural gas resources can be accomplished.