21st Century Energy System Decision.

The California Constitution establishes the Public Utilities Commission, with jurisdiction over all public utilities, as defined, and authorizes the commission to fix the rates and charges for every public utility. Existing law authorizes certain public utilities, including electrical corporations, as defined, to propose research and development programs and authorizes the commission to allow inclusion of expenses for research and development in rates. Existing law requires the commission to consider specified guidelines in evaluating the research, development, and demonstration programs proposed by electrical corporations and gas corporations. Existing law prohibits the commission, in implementing the 21st Century Energy System Decision, as defined, from authorizing recovery from ratepayers of any expense for research and development projects that are not for purposes of cyber security and grid integration and limits total funding for research and development projects for the purposes of cyber security and grid integration from exceeding $35,000,000. This bill would limit total funding for research and development projects for the purposes of cyber security and grid integration from exceeding $60,000,000.