BILL NUMBER: AJR 33	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Bradford

                        MARCH 20, 2012

   Relative to electrical grid reliability.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AJR 33, as introduced, Bradford. Southwest Power Outage.
   This measure would request the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission to include in its investigation of the Southwest Power
Outage an inquiry as to whether the balancing authorities were in
compliance with rules that require a balancing authority to be able
to maintain reliability in the event that one part of the system
fails, to provide information to the Legislature on the status of its
investigation into the Southwest Power Outage, and to provide
oversight to the North American Electric Reliability Council and the
Western Electricity Coordinating Council in a manner that ensures
that balancing authorities are prepared for unplanned outages in the
event that they are relying on electricity from or through another
balancing authority.
   Fiscal committee: no.



   WHEREAS, California relies on the rules and orders established by
the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to maintain a safe and
reliable electrical grid; and
   WHEREAS, The North American Electric Reliability Council is the
electric reliability organization certified by the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission to establish and enforce reliability standards
for the bulk-power system; and
   WHEREAS, The North American Electric Reliability Council has
delegated responsibility for the reliability of the electrical grid
to the Western Electricity Coordinating Council; and
   WHEREAS, The Western Electricity Coordinating Council is the
regional entity responsible for coordinating and promoting bulk power
system reliability in the Western Interconnection; and
   WHEREAS, The reliability of the bulk power system is based on
coordination between and among balancing authorities that provide and
maintain, ahead of time, load-interchange-generation balance within
the area of the balancing authority and supports interconnection
frequency in real time; and
   WHEREAS, The reliability of the bulk power system in the Pacific
southwest region relies on no fewer than five balancing authorities
located in California, Arizona, Colorado, and Mexico; and
   WHEREAS, In September 2011 the Pacific southwest region suffered a
sustained and major loss of electrical reliability; and
   WHEREAS, The bulk power system across several balancing
authorities failed to provide reliable electricity supplies to the
customers of San Diego Gas & Electric Company, Imperial Irrigation
District, and Southern California Edison Company, resulting in a
major power outage that led to the release of three million gallons
of raw sewage into San Diego Bay leading to the Pacific Ocean; and
   WHEREAS, The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has not provided
information to the California Legislature regarding its
investigation, the cause of the outage, or a timeline for when the
investigation will be complete; now, therefore, be it
   Resolved by the Assembly and the Senate of the State of
California, jointly, That the Legislature of California requests that
the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission include in its
investigation of the Southwest Power Outage an inquiry as to whether
the balancing authorities were in compliance with rules that require
a balancing authority to be able to maintain reliability in the event
that one part of the system fails, such as a transmission line or a
generation facility; and be it further
   Resolved, That the Legislature requests that the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission provide information on the status and timeline
of its investigation and periodic updates on the investigation into
the Southwest Power Outage to the Assembly Committee on Utilities and
Commerce and the Senate Committee on Energy, Utilities and
Communications; and be it further
   Resolved, That the Legislature calls upon the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission to provide oversight to the North American
Electric Reliability Council and the Western Electricity Coordinating
Council in a manner that ensures that the balancing authorities are
prepared for unplanned outages in the event that they are relying on
electricity from or through another balancing authority; and be it
further
   Resolved, The Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this
resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.