California Alternate Rates for Energy program.

Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission has regulatory authority over public utilities, including electrical corporations, as defined. Existing law authorizes the commission to fix the rates and charges for every public utility, and requires that those rates and charges be just and reasonable. The Public Utilities Act requires the commission, in establishing residential electric rates, to ensure that the rates are sufficient to enable the electrical corporation to recover a just and reasonable amount of revenue from residential customers as a class, while observing the principle that electricity service is a necessity, for which a low affordable rate is desirable while observing that conservation is desirable. The act requires the commission to establish a program of assistance to low-income electric and gas customers, referred to as the California Alternate Rates for Energy or CARE program. This bill would authorize an electrical corporation to require proof of income eligibility for those CARE program participants whose electricity usage exceeds 400% of baseline usage. The bill would authorize an electrical corporation to require a CARE program participant whose electricity usage exceeds 400% of baseline usage to participate in the Energy Savings Assistance Program (ESAP) , which includes a residential energy assessment, and would authorize an electrical corporation to condition continued participation in the CARE program upon agreement to participate in ESAP if a participant's electricity usage exceeds 400% of baseline usage. The bill would require an electrical corporation to require a CARE program participant whose electricity usage exceeds 600% of baseline usage to participate in ESAP, which includes a residential energy assessment. The bill would authorize an electrical corporation to remove a CARE program participant from the program if, after the completion of a residential energy assessment, the program participant's monthly electricity usage exceeds 600% of baseline usage, as specified. The bill would authorize a CARE program participant with electricity usage exceeding 600% of baseline usage to participate in an appeals process with the electrical corporation to determine whether the participant's usage levels are legitimate. The bill would prohibit a CARE program participant in a rental residence from being removed from the program in situations where the landlord is nonresponsive when contacted by the electrical corporation or does not provide for ESAP participation.