Electrical corporations: deenergization.

Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission has regulatory authority over public utilities, including electrical corporations. Existing law requires each electrical corporation to annually prepare a wildfire mitigation plan and to submit its plan to the commission for review and approval, as specified. Existing law requires the wildfire mitigation plan to include, among other things, protocols for disabling reclosers and deenergizing portions of the electrical distribution system that consider the associated impacts on public safety. This bill would require an electrical corporation to notify the commission, the Office of Emergency Services, and the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection of a potential public safety power shutoff, as defined. The bill would also require an electrical corporation, on or before July 1, 2021, to identify and report to the commission at least 15% of its transmission and distribution infrastructure that is most likely to cause a public safety power shutoff and to need grid hardening. The bill would require at least 50% of that infrastructure to be hardened to the extent that a public safety power shutoff is not necessary except in extraordinary circumstances by July 1, 2023, at least 75% of that infrastructure to be hardened to that extent by July 1, 2024, and all of that infrastructure to be hardened to that extent by July 1, 2025. The bill would prohibit an electrical corporation from charging ratepayers for electricity service not provided during a public safety power shutoff. Under existing law, a violation of the Public Utilities Act, or any order, decision, rule, direction, demand, or requirement of the commission, is a crime. Because the provisions of the bill would be included in the act and would require action by the commission, a violation of which would be a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. 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 a specified reason.