Bill > AB222

This bill introduces new requirements for data centers and their energy consumption in California, focusing on transparency and cost management. The bill defines a data center as a room or portion of a room primarily housing information technology equipment that exceeds specific energy load thresholds, and introduces the concept of "power usage effectiveness" (PUE), which measures a data center's total energy consumption relative to its IT equipment energy use. The California Energy Commission will be required to establish a process for data center owners to submit their PUE ratio biannually and include an assessment of data center electrical load trends in its 2027 integrated energy policy report. Additionally, the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) must assess how new data center loads might shift costs to other electrical corporation customers, analyzing potential procurement and infrastructure expenses. The bill mandates that the PUC submit a detailed report by January 1, 2027, identifying opportunities to prevent or mitigate substantial cost shifts. The legislation also includes provisions to protect confidential and proprietary information while promoting transparency about data center energy consumption. The bill aims to better understand and manage the growing energy demands of data centers in California, ensuring fair cost allocation and grid reliability.

Budget and Finance, Business and Industry, Justice, Transportation and Infrastructure

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB222