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AB-1144 Self-generation incentive program: community energy storage systems: high fire threat districts.(2019-2020)

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Date Published: 10/02/2019 09:00 PM
AB1144:v92#DOCUMENT

Assembly Bill No. 1144
CHAPTER 394

An act to add Section 379.9 to the Public Utilities Code, relating to electricity.

[ Approved by Governor  October 02, 2019. Filed with Secretary of State  October 02, 2019. ]

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 1144, Friedman. Self-generation incentive program: community energy storage systems: high fire threat districts.
Existing law requires the Public Utilities Commission to require the administration, until January 1, 2026, of a self-generation incentive program to increase the development of distributed generation resources and energy storage technologies. Existing law authorizes the commission, in administering the program, to adjust the amount of rebates and evaluate other public policy interests, including, but not limited to, ratepayers, energy efficiency, peak load reduction, load management, and environmental interests.
This bill would require the commission, in administering the self-generation incentive program, to allocate at least 10% of the annual collection for the program in the 2020 calendar year for the installation of energy storage and other distributed energy resources for customers that operate critical facilities or critical infrastructure serving communities in high fire threat districts to support resiliency during a deenergization event. The bill would require the commission, when allocating these funds, to prioritize funding to projects for eligible customers meeting specified criteria. The bill would require the commission to include an evaluation of the performance and impact of projects funded in a relevant self-generation incentive program evaluation report no later than December 31, 2022.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: NO  

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:


SECTION 1.

 Section 379.9 is added to the Public Utilities Code, to read:

379.9.
 (a) In administering the self-generation incentive program pursuant to Section 379.6, the commission shall allocate at least 10 percent of the annual collection for the program in the 2020 calendar year for the installation of energy storage and other eligible distributed energy resources as determined by the commission pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of Section 379.6 for customers that operate a critical facility or critical infrastructure serving communities in high fire threat districts to support resiliency during a deenergization event. Eligible customers may include, but are not limited to, emergency responders, emergency operations centers, emergency shelters, water suppliers, wastewater agencies, fire stations, and police stations.
(b) In allocating funds pursuant to subdivision (a), the commission shall do all of the following:
(1) Adjust the rules of the self-generation incentive program, if necessary, for the amount allocated pursuant to subdivision (a) to allow for the use of backup power when electricity is shut off due to wildfire risk.
(2) Prioritize funding to projects for eligible customers that do all of the following:
(A) Demonstrate a financial need.
(B) Operate a critical facility or critical infrastructure serving communities in high fire threat districts during a deenergization event.
(C) Demonstrate coordination with the electrical corporation serving the customer’s community, relevant local governments, and the Office of Emergency Services for emergency and disaster planning and preparedness.
(3) Ensure that customers receiving funding pursuant to subdivision (a) are informed of the potential limitations of the energy storage and distributed energy resources system to provide reliable backup power, particularly for unplanned and extended loss of power.
(4) Include an evaluation of the performance and impact of the projects funded pursuant to subdivision (a) in a relevant self-generation incentive program evaluation report no later than December 31, 2022. The evaluation shall include a list of customers receiving funding and the type of customer operating each project. For a representative sampling of projects, the evaluation shall also include the known and expected performance of each project as a source of backup power; the impact of the project on greenhouse gas emissions; the communities served by the critical facility or critical infrastructure; customer coordination with the Office of Emergency Services, the electrical corporation serving the community, and relevant local governments; and any other information the commission deems useful.
(c) The commission may prioritize funding for additional customers located in high fire threat districts and may continue to prioritize self-generation incentive program funding for customers that operate critical facilities or critical infrastructure serving communities in high fire threat districts in subsequent years.
(d) Nothing in this section shall be interpreted to allow for the use of incentives from the self-generation incentive program for generation technologies using nonrenewable fuels on or after January 1, 2020.