BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �



                                                                  SB 115
                                                                  Page  1


          SENATE THIRD READING
          SB 115 (Hill)
          As Amended  June 9, 2014
          Majority vote 

           SENATE VOTE  :Vote not relevant  
           
           UTILITIES & COMMERCE              15-0               
          APPROPRIATIONS      17-0        
           
           ----------------------------------------------------------------- 
          |Ayes:|Bradford, Patterson,      |Ayes:|Gatto, Bigelow,           |
          |     |Bonilla, Buchanan,        |     |Bocanegra, Bradford, Ian  |
          |     |Ch�vez, Dahle, Fong, Beth |     |Calderon, Campos,         |
          |     |Gaines, Garcia,           |     |Donnelly, Eggman, Gomez,  |
          |     |Roger Hern�ndez, Jones,   |     |Holden, Jones, Linder,    |
          |     |Mullin, Quirk, Rendon,    |     |Pan, Quirk,               |
          |     |Skinner                   |     |Ridley-Thomas, Wagner,    |
          |     |                          |     |Weber                     |
          |-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------|
          |     |                          |     |                          |
           ----------------------------------------------------------------- 
           SUMMARY  :  Requires the portfolio of projects funded through the  
          Electric Program Investment Change (EPIC) program authorized by  
          the California Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to additionally  
          include projects pertaining to safety of the electrical grid.   
          Specifically,  this bill  directs the California Energy Commission  
          (CEC) to include projects that will make advancements to the  
          safety of the electrical grid.

           FISCAL EFFECT  :  According to the Assembly Appropriations  
          Committee:

          a)No additional state costs for the CEC.
             
          b)Minor, if any potential funding shifts resulting from  
            expressly stating the eligibility of projects that advance the  
            safety of the electric grid.  The safety of the electrical  
            grid is implicitly included within existing eligible  
            categories. 

           COMMENTS  :   

          Electric Grid Safety in EPIC.  EPIC is a ratepayer-funded  








                                                                  SB 115
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          program which provides fund for research, demonstration, and  
          development programs that benefit ratepayers.  PUC Decision  
          12-05-037 established the purpose and governance for these  
          funds, and among other things stated that, "Demonstrating the  
          potential to produce electricity ratepayer benefits, defined as  
          promoting greater reliability, lower costs, and increased  
          safety, should be a mandatory and primary guiding principle for  
          expenditure of EPIC funds." [emphasis added]

          The CEC has conducted a number of safety-related research  
          projects through EPIC's predecessor program (Public Interest  
          Energy Research program), including projects to establish  
          interconnection rules for distributed generation facilities,  
          cybersecurity, and natural gas system infrastructure  
          performance, reliability and safety.


           Analysis Prepared by  :    Susan Kateley / U. & C. / (916)  
          319-2083 


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