Energy efficiency programs: workforce requirements.

Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission has regulatory authority over public utilities, including electrical corporations. Existing law provides for the commission to administer and oversee the implementation of various energy efficiency programs. Existing law requires the commission to identify all potentially achievable cost-effective electricity efficiency savings, to establish efficiency targets for an electrical corporation to achieve, to ensure that there are sufficient moneys available to electrical corporations to meet those efficiency targets, and to undertake a comprehensive review of the feasibility, costs, barriers, and benefits of achieving a cumulative doubling of energy efficiency savings and demand reduction by 2030, as specified. This bill would require the commission, if an energy efficiency program, other than a project to install, modify, repair, replace, or maintain a solar thermal system or solar energy system, contributes $50,000 or more in ratepayer-funded incentives for energy efficiency projects within the same building, facility, or building complex, to require the energy efficiency program administrator or program implementer, as applicable, to ensure that the work is performed by a skilled and trained workforce. The bill would exclude any additional labor costs resulting from the use of a skilled and trained workforce for those energy efficiency programs from the project costs of the commission's cost-effectiveness tests. The Public Utilities Act makes any public utility that violates the Public Utilities Act, or that fails to comply with any part of any order, decision, rule, direction, demand, or requirement of the commission guilty of a crime. Because the provisions of this bill would be a part of the act and because a violation of a commission action implementing its requirements would be a crime, the 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.