Energy: electrical and gas corporations: general rate cases.

Assembly Member Boerner's utility oversight legislation mandates new reporting requirements for electrical and gas corporations during general rate case proceedings before the California Public Utilities Commission. The measure requires utilities to provide comprehensive historical data on authorized versus actual costs, rates of return, and infrastructure projects over the previous decade.

Under the new requirements, utilities must submit detailed breakdowns of past work categories, distinguishing between labor and non-labor costs as well as capital and operational expenses. The reporting framework also encompasses historical data on asset repairs, installations, and replacements. For distribution capacity projects, utilities must document which previously forecasted initiatives were completed, delayed, or canceled, along with explanations for schedule changes. Additionally, the legislation requires disclosure of any capital costs in pending rate cases that exceed prior authorizations or lack previous determinations of reasonableness.

The provisions supplement existing commission authority to set just and reasonable utility rates and review cost variations between forecasts and actual expenditures. While the bill creates new reporting obligations, it maintains current enforcement mechanisms - violations of Public Utilities Commission orders, including these new requirements, remain subject to existing criminal penalties under state law.