BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                                  SB 31 X1
                                                                  Page  1

          (  Without Reference to File)
           
          SENATE THIRD READING
          SB 31 X1 (Alpert)
          As Amended April 5, 2001
          2/3 vote.  Urgency 

           SENATE VOTE  :33-2  
           
           ENERGY                                                       
                                    (not applicable)

           SUMMARY  :  Establishes the Summer 2001 Energy Efficiency Projects  
          By Community College Districts, State Building Energy Retrofits,  
          Renewable Energy Loan Guarantee Program, Mobile Efficiency  
          Brigade, Energy Conservation Act of 2001, Small Business Energy  
          Efficiency Refrigeration Loan Program and requires the  
          California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to designate a  
          baseline quantity of gas an electricity and require every gas an  
          electric corporation to file a schedule of rates and charges  
          providing baselines rates.  Makes provisions for net metering  
          and waiver of standby charges for solar or wind  
          customer-generators until January 1, 2003, unless extended by  
          statute.  

           EXISTING LAW  : 

          1)Establishes various energy efficiency programs under the  
            auspices of CPUC and the California Energy Commission (CEC).

          2)Requires electric and gas corporations to file rate schedules.

          3)Provides for customer-generators to utilize net metering under  
            specified terms. 

           FISCAL EFFECT  :  $408.65 million from General Fund and  
          Proposition 98 Reversion Fund.

           COMMENTS  :  This bill contains many of the provisions brought  
          forward in AB 29X (Kehoe), but adds the 2001 Energy Efficiency  
          Projects by Community College Districts to retrofit and  
          construct energy efficient buildings and provide other means of  
          making the community college system energy self sufficient.   
          This bill allocates $408.65 million dollars for all of the  
          energy efficiency programs, including a mobile energy brigade,  








                                                                  SB 31 X1
                                                                  Page  2

          retrofitting of state buildings and the various educational  
          institution measures.

          This bill also provides for CPUC to establish a reasonable level  
          of baseline quantity for gas and electric service allowing for  
          variance for customers who are using both gas and electricity  
          and those who are primarily served byeelectricity in their  
          homes.  This bill also allows for additional accommodation with  
          baselines usage for customers with medical or other specified  
          additional energy needs.  The utilities must establish baseline  
          rates.

          Finally, this bill expands the existing definition of  
          customer-generators eligible for access to the electricity grid  
          on a standby basis and waives standby charges for eligible  
          customer-generators using solar or wind generation.  This bill  
          provides for terms under which net metering may be provided to  
          distributed generation customers and specifies obligations of  
          utilities to provide meters for customers under certain  
          circumstances. 
           

          Analysis Prepared by  :    Kelly Boyd / E. C. & A. / (916)  
          319-2083 


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