Electricity: interconnections.

Assembly Member Irwin's electricity interconnection legislation requires the Independent System Operator (ISO) to incorporate surplus interconnection service considerations into long-term transmission planning while mandating utilities to evaluate and utilize available grid capacity more efficiently. The bill establishes new requirements for both electrical corporations and local publicly owned utilities to assess surplus interconnection options when developing their integrated resource plans.

The legislation defines surplus interconnection service as unused portions of existing interconnection capacity that could be utilized without increasing the total interconnection capacity at connection points. Under the new provisions, utilities must specifically examine opportunities to add renewable energy resources or battery storage near fossil fuel plants by leveraging available infrastructure through surplus interconnection arrangements.

For implementation, the bill requires the ISO to enhance transparency around surplus interconnection opportunities and directs utilities to integrate these considerations into their mandatory resource planning processes. Local publicly owned utilities with annual electrical demand exceeding 700 gigawatthours must evaluate surplus interconnection options as part of their five-year integrated resource plan updates. The Public Utilities Commission will oversee compliance through its existing regulatory authority, with violations constituting criminal offenses under the Public Utilities Act.