Energy: energy efficiency.

Under the Public Utilities Act (the act) , the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has regulatory authority over public utilities, including electrical corporations. The act requires the commission to review and adopt a procurement plan for each electrical corporation in accordance with specified elements, incentive mechanisms, and objectives. The act requires that an electrical corporation's proposed procurement plan include certain elements, including a showing that the electrical corporation will first meet its unmet needs through all available energy efficiency and demand reduction resources that are cost effective, reliable, and feasible. Existing law requires the PUC, in consultation with the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission, to identify all potentially achievable cost‑effective electricity efficiency savings and establish efficiency targets. A violation of the act is a crime. This bill would require an electrical corporation, as defined, as part of the above-described energy efficiency targets, to replace with high-efficiency light bulbs up to 100 low-efficiency light bulbs in any street light poles, as defined, that the electrical corporation owns, at the same rate as the city, county, or city and county in which any of the electrical corporation's street light poles are located. This bill would state the intent of the Legislature that this program be funded through existing collection mechanisms, and that the implementation of this program not result in an increase in any amount collected. This bill would also require an electrical corporation, for purposes of the state's investment in cost-effective energy efficiency programs and energy efficiency targets, to post on its Internet Web site specified information related to the electrical corporation's energy efficiency programs, including a description of the programs and their costs and benefits, the sources of funding, expenditures and investments, and eligibility information. By placing new requirements on electrical corporations, this bill would expand the definition of a crime and therefore create a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.