Renewable energy resources.

Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission has regulatory authority over public utilities, including electrical corporations, as defined. The Public Utilities Act imposes various duties and responsibilities on the commission with respect to the purchase of electricity and requires the commission to review and adopt a procurement plan and a renewable energy procurement plan for each electrical corporation pursuant to the California Renewables Portfolio Standard Program. The renewables portfolio standard program requires that a retail seller of electricity purchase a specified minimum percentage of electricity generated by eligible renewable energy resources, as defined, in any given year as a specified percentage of total kilowatthours sold to retail end-use customers each calendar year. Existing law includes legislative findings and declarations relative to the program that include a declaration that new and modified electric transmission facilities may be necessary to facilitate the state achieving its renewables portfolio standard targets. This bill would revise the legislative findings and declarations to declare that new and modified electric transmission facilities, including the employment of smart grid technologies, may be necessary to facilitate the state achieving its energy efficiency goals and renewables portfolio standard targets.