Energy: firm zero-carbon resources.

Senator Stern's proposal for evaluating firm zero-carbon resources directs the California Public Utilities Commission to produce a comprehensive assessment of how these energy sources can enhance grid reliability. The legislation requires the Commission, working with the Independent System Operator, to deliver a report by December 2026 examining opportunities and needs for deploying firm zero-carbon resources - renewable energy sources capable of providing consistent, dispatchable power - across multiple timeframes.

The mandated report must analyze several key elements: the specific attributes needed for maintaining reliable power delivery, scenarios projecting resource requirements over various periods, and priority regions for deployment. The Commission must also identify barriers preventing wider adoption of these resources and propose solutions, such as potential new market mechanisms like multiday firm capacity products or flexible ramping services. The report will outline implementation timelines and regulatory processes needed to enact any recommended changes.

The measure adds these requirements to the Public Utilities Code while maintaining existing enforcement provisions that classify violations of Commission orders as criminal offenses. While the bill creates obligations affecting local agencies, it specifies that no state reimbursement is required since any local costs would stem from changes to criminal statutes under the California Constitution.