BILL NUMBER: AB 2769	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Patterson

                        FEBRUARY 19, 2016

   An act to amend Section 399.11 of the Public Utilities Code,
relating to renewable energy.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 2769, as introduced, Patterson. Renewable energy.
   Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission has regulatory
jurisdiction over public utilities, including electrical
corporations, while local publicly owned electric utilities are under
the direction of their governing boards. Existing law imposes
various regulations on public utilities and local publicly owned
electric utilities. Existing law establishes the California
Renewables Portfolio Standards Program, which is codified in the
Public Utilities Act, with the target to increase the amount of
electricity generated per year from eligible renewable energy
resources to an amount that equals at least 50% of the total
electricity sold to retail customers per year by December 31, 2030.
   This bill would make a nonsubstantive change to legislative
findings and declarations relating to the above-described provisions.

   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no.
State-mandated local program: no.


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

  SECTION 1.  Section 399.11 of the Public Utilities Code is amended
to read:
   399.11.  The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
   (a) In order to attain a target of generating 20 percent of total
retail sales of electricity in  California   the
state  from eligible renewable energy resources by December 31,
2013, 33 percent by December 31, 2020, and 50 percent by December
31, 2030, it is the intent of the Legislature that the commission and
the Energy Commission implement the California Renewables Portfolio
Standard Program described in this article.
   (b) Achieving the renewables portfolio standard through the
procurement of various electricity products from eligible renewable
energy resources is intended to provide unique benefits to
California, including all of the following, each of which
independently justifies the program:
   (1) Displacing fossil fuel consumption within the state.
   (2) Adding new electrical generating facilities in the
transmission network within the Western Electricity Coordinating
Council service area.
   (3) Reducing air pollution in the state.
   (4) Meeting the state's climate change goals by reducing emissions
of greenhouse gases associated with electrical generation.
   (5) Promoting stable retail rates for electric service.
   (6) Meeting the state's need for a diversified and balanced energy
generation portfolio.
   (7) Assistance with meeting the state's resource adequacy
requirements.
   (8) Contributing to the safe and reliable operation of the
electrical grid, including providing predictable electrical supply,
voltage support, lower line losses, and congestion relief.
   (9) Implementing the state's transmission and land use planning
activities related to development of eligible renewable energy
resources.
   (c) The California Renewables Portfolio Standard Program is
intended to complement the Renewable Energy Resources Program
administered by the Energy Commission and established pursuant to
Chapter 8.6 (commencing with Section 25740) of Division 15 of the
Public Resources Code.
   (d) New and modified electric transmission facilities may be
necessary to facilitate the state achieving its renewables portfolio
standard targets.
   (e) (1) Supplying electricity to California end-use customers that
is generated by eligible renewable energy resources is necessary to
improve California's air quality and public health, and the
commission shall ensure rates are just and reasonable, and are not
significantly affected by the procurement requirements of this
article. This electricity may be generated anywhere in the
interconnected grid that includes many  states, 
 states  and areas of both Canada and Mexico.
   (2) This article requires generating resources located outside of
California that are able to supply that electricity to California
end-use customers to be treated identically to generating resources
located within the state, without discrimination.
   (3) California electrical corporations have already executed, and
the commission has approved, power purchase agreements with eligible
renewable energy resources located outside of California that will
supply electricity to California end-use customers. These resources
will fully count toward meeting the renewables portfolio standard
procurement requirements.