The Public Utilities Act, except as provided, prohibits an electrical corporation from beginning construction of a line, plant, or system, or of any extension of the line, plant, or system, without having first obtained from the Public Utilities Commission a certificate that the present or future public convenience and necessity require or will require its construction. The act specifies that a certificate is not required for the extension, expansion, upgrade, or other modification of an existing electrical transmission facility, including transmission lines and substations.
Under its existing regulatory authority over electrical corporations, the commission has adopted a resolution establishing the Transmission Review Process to review electrical corporations' capital transmission projects beginning January 1, 2024.
This bill would, consistent with the commission's authority to review and approve new transmission line projects undertaken pursuant to the Independent System Operator planning process, require the commission to review and approve transmission line projects, including the extension, expansion, upgrade, or other modification of existing transmission lines, initiated by an electrical corporation.
Under existing law, a violation of the act, or of an order, decision, rule, direction, demand, or requirement of the commission is a crime.
Because the provisions of this bill would be 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.