Electricity: permit to construct: advanced reconductoring: exemption.

Existing law vests the Public Utilities Commission with regulatory jurisdiction over public utilities, including electrical corporations. The commission, through a general order, prohibits an electrical corporation from beginning construction in this state of any electrical line facilities or substations meeting certain requirements without the commission having first authorized the construction of those facilities by issuing a permit to construct. This bill would require the commission, on or before January 1, 2026, to update the above-described general order to provide an exemption that would instead authorize an electrical corporation to seek the commission's approval of advanced reconductoring, as defined, of its existing electrical transmission facilities through the commission's informal advice letter process, as specified. The bill would require an electrical corporation to seek that commission approval by filing a Tier 2 Advice Letter that follows existing advice letter processes and requirements, and would require the commission, on or before January 1, 2026, to update its Tier 2 Advice Letter process to authorize that filing by an electrical corporation, as specified. 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 this bill would be a part of the act and 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.