Electricity: Westlands Water District.

The California Water District Law provides for the establishment of water districts and authorizes a district to construct, maintain, and operate plants for the generation of hydroelectric energy and transmission lines for the conveyance of the hydroelectric energy. Existing law merged the former West Plains Water Storage District into the Westlands Water District, and provides for the operation of the Westlands Water District. This bill would authorize the Westlands Water District to provide, generate, and deliver solar photovoltaic electricity and to construct, operate, and maintain works, facilities, improvements, and property necessary or convenient for generating and delivering that electricity. The bill would require the district to use the electricity for the district's own purposes, and the bill would authorize the district to sell surplus electricity to a public or private entity engaged in the distribution or sale of electricity. The bill would also authorize the district to construct, operate, and maintain energy storage systems and electric transmission lines, and to construct, operate, and maintain works, facilities, improvements, and property necessary or convenient for the operation of the energy storage systems and electric transmission lines, within the boundaries of the district, as specified. The bill would require the district to report the amount of income, and the purposes for expenditure of that income, from electricity facilities constructed pursuant to these provisions in a specified report. The bill would require the district to establish a community benefits agreement plan for a specified electrical infrastructure development plan and related transmission and other electrical projects, as provided. This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the Westlands Water District.