BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �



                                                                      



           ------------------------------------------------------------ 
          |SENATE RULES COMMITTEE            |                    SB 23|
          |Office of Senate Floor Analyses   |                         |
          |1020 N Street, Suite 524          |                         |
          |(916) 651-1520         Fax: (916) |                         |
          |327-4478                          |                         |
           ------------------------------------------------------------ 
           
                                         
                                 THIRD READING


          Bill No:  SB 23
          Author:   Simitian (D)
          Amended:  9/9/11
          Vote:     21

           
           SENATE ENERGY, UTILITIES & COMM. COMMITTEE  :  10-0, 5/3/11
          AYES:  Padilla, Fuller, Berryhill, Corbett, DeSaulnier, 
            Pavley, Rubio, Simitian, Strickland, Wright
          NO VOTE RECORDED:  De Le�n
           
          SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE  :  Senate Rule 28.8

           SENATE FLOOR  :  31-4, 5/31/11
          AYES:  Alquist, Blakeslee, Calderon, Cannella, Corbett, 
            Correa, De Le�n, DeSaulnier, Emmerson, Evans, Fuller, 
            Harman, Hernandez, Huff, Kehoe, La Malfa, Leno, Lieu, 
            Liu, Lowenthal, Negrete McLeod, Padilla, Pavley, Price, 
            Runner, Simitian, Strickland, Vargas, Wolk, Wright, Yee
          NOES:  Anderson, Gaines, Walters, Wyland
          NO VOTE RECORDED:  Berryhill, Dutton, Hancock, Rubio, 
            Steinberg

           ASSEMBLY FLOOR  :  Not available


           SUBJECT  :    Energy:  renewable energy resources

           SOURCE  :     Author


           DIGEST  :    This bill makes a number of technical and 
          substantive changes to the recently signed SB 2X1 
                                                           CONTINUED





                                                                 SB 23
                                                                Page 
          2

          (Simitian), Chapter 1, Statutes of 2011, First 
          Extraordinary Session, which increases Californiass 
          renewable portfolio standard (RPS) from 20 percent by 2010 
          to 33 percent by 2020.

           Assembly Amendments  (1) extend the deadline for the 
          California Energy Commission (CEC) to study and report to 
          the Legislature on run-of-river hydroelectric generating 
          facilities in British Columbia for one year to June 30, 
          2012; (2) extend the deadline for the California Public 
          Utilities Commission (PUC) to determine resource adequacy 
          standards for wind and solar energy resources for one year 
          to no later than July 1, 2012; (3) extend the deadline for 
          CEC to adopt regulations for enforcement of RPS 
          requirements of the publicly owned utilities (POUs) for one 
          year to July 1, 2012; and (4) eliminate a provision 
          regarding the long-term and short-term contracting 
          requirement.

           ANALYSIS  :    Existing law:

          1. Creates the California RPS program and the Renewable 
             Energy Resources Program to increase the amount of 
             electricity generated per year from eligible renewable 
             energy resources.

          2. Effective 90 days after the adjournment of the First 
             Extraordinary Session, increases California's renewable 
             portfolio standard from 20 percent by 2010 to 33 percent 
             by 2020.  

          3. Effective 90 days after the adjournment of the First 
             Extraordinary Session, requires the CEC to study and 
             provide a report to the Legislature that analyzes 
             run-of-river hydroelectric generating facilities by June 
             30, 2011.

          4. Effective 90 days after the adjournment of the First 
             Extraordinary Session, requires the CEC to adopt 
             regulations, on or before July 1, 2011, for enforcement 
             of the RPS requirements of the POUs.

          5. Effective upon the adjournment of the First 
             Extraordinary Session, requires the PUC to determine 

                                                           CONTINUED





                                                                 SB 23
                                                                Page 
          3

             resource adequacy standards for wind and solar energy 
             resources no later than July 1, 2011.

          This bill: 

          1. Extends the deadline for the CEC to study and report to 
             the Legislature on run-of-river hydroelectric generating 
             facilities in British Columbia for one year to June 30, 
             2012.

          2. Extends the deadline for the PUC to determine resource 
             adequacy standards for wind and solar energy resources 
             for one year to no later than July 1, 2012.

          3. Extends the deadline for CEC to adopt regulations for 
             enforcement of RPS requirements of the POUs for one year 
             to July 1, 2012.

          4. Specifies that a small hydroelectric generation unit is 
             an eligible renewable energy resource if it supplies or 
             conveys water to its customers.

          5. Eliminates the requirement for the PUC to prepare annual 
             procurement plans.

          6. Authorizes the PUC to require more frequent compliance 
             reports.

          7. Eliminates a provision regarding the long-term and 
             short-term contracting requirement.

          8. Eliminates all deficits accumulated by retail sellers 
             prior to December 31, 2010, not just the deficits of 
             those retail sellers who are at 14 percent.

          9. Extends the deadline for the PUC to establish minimum 
             procurement quantities in each compliance period from 
             January 1, 2012 to July 1, 2012.

          10.Clarifies that the enforcement provisions taken by the 
             PUC against IOUs are retrospective in applications.

          11.Permits local publicly owned utilities that have met the 
             20 percent requirement by 2010 to bank its excess 

                                                           CONTINUED





                                                                 SB 23
                                                                Page 
          4

             procurement.

          12.Changes the date by which the PUC has established 
             quantities for each compliance period from July 1, 2012 
             to January 1, 2013.

          13.Allows PUC to report to Legislature on RPS progress in 
             existing AB 67 report.

          14.Specifies that California Air Resources Board cannot 
             adopt any state renewable energy goals.

          15.Makes technical changes.

           Comments
           
          Governor Brown signed SB 2X1 (Simitian) on April 12th.  The 
          bill will take effect 90 days after the adjournment of the 
          first extraordinary session which has not yet occurred.  In 
          the meantime there were three deadlines in that bill by 
          which the CEC and CPUC were to adopt rules, regulations or 
          issue reports this summer.  The delay in enactment of SB 
          2X1 and the delay in adjournment of the special session 
          require that the deadlines be extended by one year for 
          these agencies to complete their work.

          Both proponents and opponents of SB 2X1 cite the need for 
          further revisions to that measure in order to ensure that 
          implementation of the new 33 percent standard is carried 
          out efficiently and effectively.  The author is considering 
          those provisions.

           FISCAL EFFECT  :    Appropriation:  No   Fiscal Com.:  Yes   
          Local:  No

           SUPPORT  :   (Verified  9/7/11)

          SMUD (if amended)

           OPPOSITION  :    (Verified  9/7/11)

          California Biomass Energy Alliance
          California Wind Energy Association
          Clean Power Campaign

                                                           CONTINUED





                                                                 SB 23
                                                                Page 
          5

          Environment California 
          Independent Energy Producers
          Large Scale Solar Association
          Natural Resources Defense Council
          Sierra Club California
          The Solar Alliance
          The Vote Solar Initiative
          Union of Concerned Scientists

          RM:kc  9/9/11   Senate Floor Analyses 

                         SUPPORT/OPPOSITION:  SEE ABOVE

                                ****  END  ****































                                                           CONTINUED