Electricity: microgrids: tariffs.

(1) Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has regulatory authority over public utilities, including electrical corporations, while local publicly owned electric utilities, as defined, are under the direction of their governing boards. 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. This bill would require the PUC, in consultation with the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission and the Independent System Operator, to take specified actions by December 1, 2020, to facilitate the commercialization of microgrids for distribution customers of large electrical corporations. The bill would require the governing board of a local publicly owned electric utility to develop and make available a standardized process for the interconnection of a customer-supported microgrid, including separate electrical rates and tariffs, as necessary. Under existing law, a violation of any order, decision, rule, direction, demand, or requirement of the commission is a crime. Because the provisions of this bill would require an order or other action of the commission to implement, and a violation of that order or action would be a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. In addition, by placing requirements upon local publicly owned electric utilities, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (2) 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 specified reasons.