Energy: firm renewable energy resources and firm zero-carbon resources: procurement.

Existing law requires the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission (Energy Commission) , in consultation with the Public Utilities Commission, the Independent System Operator, and the State Air Resources Board, on or before December 31, 2023, to submit to the Legislature an assessment of the firm zero-carbon resources that support a clean, reliable, and resilient electrical grid in California and will achieve the policy of the state that eligible renewable energy resources and zero-carbon resources supply 100% of all retail sales of electricity to California end-use customers and 100% of electricity procured to serve all state agencies by December 31, 2045, as specified. Existing law requires the Energy Commission to prepare an integrated energy policy report every 2 years and to timely incorporate firm zero-carbon resources into the integrated energy policy report. Existing law requires the commission to adopt a process for each load-serving entity, as defined, to file an integrated resource plan and a schedule for periodic updates to the plan to ensure that load-serving entities accomplish specified objectives. This bill would require the Energy Commission to additionally include firm renewable energy resources in the above-described assessment and to incorporate firm renewable energy resources into the integrated energy policy report. The bill would require the Public Utilities Commission to include the findings and recommendations related to the availability and need for procurement of firm renewable energy resources and firm zero-carbon resources made in the above-described assessment in the above-described integrated resource plan process no later than 6 months from the time the assessment is presented to the Legislature. The bill would authorize the Public Utilities Commission, as part of including the findings and recommendations, to consider whether to adopt additional programs, measures, and requirements to increase the procurement and deployment of firm renewable energy resources and firm zero-carbon resources, and to consider emerging technologies, as specified. Under existing law, a violation of the Public Utilities Act or any order, decision, rule, direction, demand, or requirement of the Public Utilities Commission is a crime. Because the provisions of this bill would be a part of the act and because a violation of an order, decision, rule, direction, demand, or requirement of the Public Utilities Commission implementing the bill's requirements would be a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program by creating a new crime. 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.