740.4.
(a)
The commission shall authorize public utilities to engage in programs to encourage economic development.
(b)
Reasonable expenses for economic development programs, as specified in this section, shall be allowed, to the extent of ratepayer benefit, when setting rates to be charged by public utilities electing to initiate these programs.
(c)
Economic development activities may include, but not be limited to, the following:
(1)
Community marketing and development.
(2)
Technical assistance to support technology transfer.
(3)
Market research.
(4)
Site inventories.
(5)
Industrial and commercial expansion and relocation assistance.
(6)
Business retention and recruitment.
(7)
Management assistance.
(d)
This section shall not be interpreted to permit the funding of economic development activities that benefit any affiliated companies or parent holding companies beyond that which is authorized by law as of January 1, 1992.
(e)
(1)
This section shall not authorize the commission to establish discriminatory rates for the purpose of attracting or benefiting specific industries or business entities, except that incentives may be provided for the benefit of industries or business entities located within the boundaries of enterprise zones or economic incentive areas in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 12.8 (commencing with Section 7070) and Article 1 (commencing with Section 7080) of Chapter 12.9 of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code.
(2)
The commission may apply the incentives authorized by this subdivision that benefit industries or business entities located within the boundaries of economic enterprise zones or incentive areas to attract a federal Defense Finance and Accounting Service Center at the existing site of Norton Air Force Base in San Bernardino County. This paragraph shall become inoperative if the federal Department of Defense Finance and Accounting Service Center is not located upon the premises known as Norton Air Force Base in San Bernardino County and shall also become inoperative on February 1, 1994, if that facility has not been awarded to that site before that date.
(f)
It is the intent of the Legislature that the Public Utilities Commission, in implementing this chapter, shall allow rate recovery of expenses supporting economic development programs within the geographic area served by any public utility to the extent the utility incurring or proposing to incur, those expenses demonstrates that the ratepayers of the public utility will derive a benefit from those programs. Further, it is the intent of the Legislature that expenses for economic development programs incurred prior to the effective date of this chapter, which have not been previously authorized to be recovered in rates, shall not be subject to rate recovery.