Electricity: rates: baseline quality.

Existing law requires the Public Utilities Commission to ensure that rates charged by an electrical corporation are sufficient to enable the electrical corporation to recover a just and reasonable amount of revenue from residential customers. Existing law requires the commission to designate a baseline quantity of electricity, which is necessary to supply a significant portion of the reasonable energy needs of the average residential customer, taking into account differentials in energy use by climatic zone and season. Existing law requires every electrical corporation to file a schedule of rates and charges providing baseline rates that apply to the first or lowest block, which is the baseline quantity, of an increasing block rate structure. Under its existing authority, the commission has established electricity baseline quantities for the summer and winter seasons for the Pacific Gas and Electric Company. The bill would require the commission to establish the electricity baseline quantities for the Pacific Gas and Electric Company, as specified. This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for Pacific Gas and Electric Company.