Public utilities: general rate cases: electrical grid infrastructure.

Senator Stern's proposal to modify California's utility rate review process would require the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to emphasize data verification when evaluating infrastructure spending requests from utility companies. The legislation directs the PUC to prioritize gathering, analyzing, and independently verifying utility data that supports general rate case proposals related to electrical grid infrastructure.

The measure focuses specifically on data used to justify capital investments in electrical distribution and transmission systems, along with associated operation and maintenance costs. Under current law, the PUC has broad authority to set utility rates that it determines are reasonable, but no explicit mandate regarding data verification procedures. The new requirements would apply to the commission's review of all future general rate cases involving electrical grid infrastructure spending.

While the bill establishes these new priorities for the PUC's rate review process, it does not specify implementation timelines or create additional enforcement mechanisms beyond the commission's existing regulatory authority. The measure requires no direct state appropriations, though the enhanced data verification responsibilities may necessitate operational adjustments at both the PUC and utility companies.