Bill > SB1312

This bill would make several changes to regulations around electrical infrastructure and public safety power shutoffs (PSPS) in California: 1. It would require the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to revise Electric Tariff Rule 20 to authorize and fund the undergrounding of electrical infrastructure within high fire-threat areas for wildfire mitigation purposes. 2. It would require the PUC to develop a standard to measure the prudency of an electrical corporation's conduct during a PSPS and its related fire risk mitigation capital expenditures. Electrical corporations would have to report on PSPS events and make required infrastructure improvements to avoid future PSPS, with fines and penalties levied if the PUC finds their actions were not prudent. 3. It would mandate electrical corporations to notify state agencies of potential PSPS events and allow the PUC to adopt emergency regulations to address public health and safety risks from PSPS. 4. It would require electrical corporations to identify high-risk infrastructure, make specified fire risk mitigation capital expenditures on that infrastructure by 2025, and allow them to recover those costs in rates. 5. It would prohibit electrical corporations from charging ratepayers for electricity service not provided during a PSPS.

Budget and Finance, Transportation and Infrastructure

http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=201920200SB1312