Public Utilities & Energy Infrastructure

Requires the Public Utilities Commission to assess zero-carbon energy needs and opportunities by December 2026. Mandates identification of priority regions for deploying firm zero-carbon resources to ensure grid reliability. Establishes requirements to analyze market barriers and solutions for zero-carbon energy deployment. Creates a framework to evaluate clean energy resources for local and system-wide reliability.

Requires more frequent reviews of state electricity transmission planning from every 5 years to every 3 years. Mandates coordination between utility regulators and grid operators to update transmission planning guidelines. Aims to improve California's renewable energy infrastructure development and reliability.

Requires state agencies to evaluate electricity programs that may be unnecessarily increasing consumer rates. Mandates detailed reports to the Legislature by July 1, 2025 on program costs and benefits. Authorizes agencies to recommend eliminating ineffective programs and returning unused funds to ratepayers. Takes effect immediately to address California's electricity rates that are double the national average.

Establishes new safety standards for hydrogen pipelines to protect residents and the environment. Requires pipeline owners to use continuous monitoring systems to detect and prevent hydrogen leaks. Mandates annual compliance reports from pipeline owners to the State Fire Marshal by March 30. Requires all pipeline materials to meet strict engineering standards for hydrogen compatibility.

Establishes a Senior Counselor position to coordinate California's clean energy supply chain development by 2026. Creates working groups focused on batteries, offshore wind, and building decarbonization technologies. Requires state agencies to develop coordinated plans for expanding clean energy manufacturing and jobs. Establishes a new fund to support clean energy supply chain and industrial policy initiatives.

Establishes a new monitoring system for pipelines that deliver crude oil to California refineries. Requires pipeline operators to report flow levels monthly starting March 2027. Mandates operators to notify state officials within 24 hours if pipeline flows drop to critical levels. Restricts the use of collected pipeline data solely for assessing potential supply disruptions.

Expands the Lifeline program to provide low-income households with affordable broadband internet access. Requires internet providers to offer plans with 100Mbps download speeds for $30 or less monthly. Prohibits requiring customers to bundle internet with phone service to receive the Lifeline discount. Program expires in 2032 unless renewed by the Legislature.

Makes technical changes to provisions governing the Public Utilities Commission's quorum requirements.

Authorizes the Energy Commission to establish rating standards for solar, energy storage, and EV charging equipment. Sets a state goal to install 3,000 megawatts of solar energy capacity across California. Requires solar systems to be installed on 50 percent of new homes within 13 years. Mandates 30-day public notice before adopting new equipment guidelines.

Makes technical changes to provisions governing the Independent System Operator's grid management duties.

Requires schools to implement new literacy teaching programs for grades TK-5 by September 2026 with state funding support. Mandates adoption of new English language arts materials for grades K-8 by June 2027 aligned with literacy standards. Updates administrator credential requirements to include literacy instruction support by September 2027. Provides professional development funding for teachers through 2029 with required reporting on program effectiveness.

Requires the Public Utilities Commission to seek input from affected parties before determining proceeding scope. Mandates documentation of stakeholder outreach efforts in initial scoping memos. Removes outdated requirements for utility regulatory outreach studies that expired in 2020.

Establishes new payment flexibility for electric vehicle charging stations while prohibiting mandatory subscriptions. Requires charging stations to maintain detailed uptime records and meet reliability standards through 2035. Authorizes penalties up to $2,500 per violation for charging stations that fail to meet operating standards. Mandates that charging stations notify customers about availability and accessibility of public charging options.

Requires utilities to automatically enroll customers in service outage and update alerts. Allows customers to opt out of non-emergency alerts while maintaining mandatory safety notifications. Mandates utilities to provide annual instructions for updating contact preferences on bills. Enables customers to update contact information through utility websites or by phone.

Requires the Independent System Operator to integrate surplus grid connections into transmission planning. Mandates utilities to evaluate and use available grid capacity for renewable energy and battery storage. Requires utilities to include transportation electrification plans and incentives in resource planning. Enforces penalties on utilities that fail to meet resource procurement requirements.

Requires utility companies to connect affordable housing projects to the electrical grid within 60 days of completion. Delays utility rate increases if companies fail to meet connection deadlines for affordable housing. Mandates streamlined review by the Public Utilities Commission for delayed housing connections. Expires on January 1, 2029 unless renewed by the legislature.

Expands net energy metering to include electricity generated from train regenerative braking systems. Requires utilities to provide billing credits for electricity exported from electric train braking. Mandates utilities to install and maintain specialized metering systems at their own cost. Designates the Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board as an eligible customer-generator.

Establishes six electrical modernization zones to prioritize infrastructure upgrades in underserved areas. Authorizes utilities to manage microgrids and collect fixed charges from customers in these zones. Requires state agencies to prioritize load growth projects in designated modernization zones. Mandates two zones be located in the High Desert area and Altadena, Los Angeles County.

Requires the Public Utilities Commission to report annually instead of every two years on energy efficiency programs. Mandates reporting on ratepayer-funded utility programs that overlap with other state agency initiatives. Reports must identify similar programs across multiple state energy and transportation agencies.

Strengthens privacy protections for low-income phone service program participants by restricting data sharing. Prohibits sharing subscriber information with government agencies without a court order. Makes social security numbers optional for program participation. Allows civil lawsuits against phone companies that violate subscriber privacy protections.

Requires the state energy commission to design a new system for customers to generate electricity at their properties. Mandates increased transparency in how departing load charges are calculated and applied to customers. Establishes a stakeholder input process including utilities and consumer advocacy groups through 2031. Requires submission of recommendations to the Legislature by December 2027.

Abolishes California's Power Exchange to restructure the state electricity market for increased competition. Establishes a five-member Electricity Oversight Board to supervise the Independent System Operator. Mandates a 20% rate reduction for residential and small commercial customers by April 2002. Requires utilities to recover transition costs through nonbypassable charges without increasing customer rates.

Requires the Public Utilities Commission to evaluate and improve utility bill transparency by June 2026. Mandates clear itemization of all charges on gas and electric bills including taxes and program fees. Authorizes the use of digital communication channels like email and mobile apps for utility billing.

Requires development of fire safety measures for utility-grade lithium-ion battery storage facilities. Establishes safety protocols to protect emergency personnel responding to battery facility fires. Mandates battery facility operators to share incident information with emergency managers.

Establishes new financial incentives for industrial facilities to decarbonize their heat and power systems. Requires construction projects to use union labor agreements that include local hiring and apprenticeship provisions. Creates a thermal energy storage program to help industrial facilities reduce peak electricity demand. Prioritizes funding for projects that benefit under-resourced communities and reduce air pollution.