California Renewables Portfolio Standard Program.

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 (RPS program) . The RPS program requires the commission to establish a renewables portfolio standard requiring all retail sellers, as defined, to procure a minimum quantity of electricity products from eligible renewable energy resources, as defined, at specified percentages of the total kilowatthours sold to their retail end-customers during specified compliance periods. Existing law authorizes the commission to require a retail seller to procure eligible renewable energy resources in excess of the specified quantities. This bill would require that the commission evaluate the benefits and costs to the California economy, including upon low- and middle-income individuals and families and disadvantaged communities, before exercise of its authority to increase the procurement of eligible renewable energy resources in excess of the specified quantities. The bill would require the commission, in performing its evaluation, to conduct duly noticed public workshops throughout the state to allow for public comment and consideration of the economic findings.