Energy: baseline quantities of electricity and natural gas.

Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission has regulatory authority over public utilities, including electrical corporations and gas corporations, as defined. Existing law authorizes the commission to fix the rates and charges for every public utility, and requires that those rates and charges be just and reasonable. The Public Utilities Act requires the commission to designate a baseline quantity of electricity and gas necessary for a significant portion of the reasonable energy needs of the average residential customer, and to establish a higher energy allowance above the baseline, for residential customers dependent on life-support equipment. The act requires that electrical corporations and gas corporations file rates and charges, to be approved by the commission, providing baseline rates that are applicable to the first block of usage and requires the commission, in establishing baseline rates, to avoid excessive rate increases for residential customers and to establish an appropriate gradual differential between the rates for the respective blocks of usage. This bill would make technical, nonsubstantive revisions to the requirement that the commission designate a baseline quantity of electricity and gas necessary for a significant portion of the reasonable energy needs of the average residential customer.