BILL ANALYSIS �
AB 1214
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Date of Hearing: May 18, 2011
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Felipe Fuentes, Chair
AB 1214 (Skinner) - As Amended: May 10, 2011
Policy Committee:
UtilitiesVote:14-0
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
No Reimbursable:
SUMMARY
This bill requires the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) and the
Independent System Operator (ISO) to coordinate the planning and
approval of transmission facilities serving solar development.
Specifically, this bill:
1)Requires the PUC and ISO to review all new and upgraded
transmission facilities identified in the ISO's planning
process as being facilities serving solar development areas,
and to publish a report, by March 31, 2012, identifying these
new or upgraded transmission facilities that can be placed in
service by December 31, 2016 in order to take maximum
advantage of available federal investment tax credits.
2)Requires the report to include timeframes for obtaining
government approvals, construction, and placing each
transmission project into service, and an analysis to any
barriers in meeting these milestones and means to eliminate
those barriers.
3)Requires the PUC and ISO to:
a) Coordinate the ISO's transmission planning process with
the commission's issuance of certificates for transmission
facilities.
b) Evaluate alternatives for building and upgrading
transmission facilities that may enhance achievement of the
state's Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) and AB 32 goals.
FISCAL EFFECT
AB 1214
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Annual special fund costs of $175,000 for 1.5 positions, for at
least two years, regarding enhanced transmission planning and
coordination with the ISO, including examination of alternatives
to meet RPS and AB 32 goals. �Public Utilities Reimbursement
Account]
COMMENTS
Purpose . The ISO is a non-profit public benefit corporation that
manages the state's electricity grid and consults and
coordinates with state and local agencies. The ISO, through its
transmission planning process, identifies those facilities
necessary to interconnect renewable generators to, and deliver
renewable power on, the ISO-controlled grid. According to the
author, while there has been some progress in streamlining the
ISO planning process, there is no link between the ISO's
transmission plan and the ability of the investor-owned
utilities (IOUs) and/or other transmission owners to obtain the
necessary permits for the construction of those transmission
facilities.
AB 1214 is intended to promote the timely construction of those
transmission facilities necessary to interconnect renewable
generation in order to meet the state's RPS goal of 33% by 2020.
The bill requires the parties responsible for planning,
permitting, and constructing transmission to collaborate and
prepare a report explaining the barriers to, and potential
solutions for, constructing sufficient transmission by the end
of 2016, when solar energy projects must be in operation in
order to qualify for a federal investment tax credit.
Analysis Prepared by : Chuck Nicol / APPR. / (916) 319-2081