Electricity: electrical transmission facilities.

Existing law vests the Public Utilities Commission with regulatory authority over public utilities, including electrical corporations. The commission, through a general order, prohibits an electrical corporation from beginning construction of a new electric generating plant, electric transmission, power, or distribution line facility, or new, upgraded, or modified substation without first complying with specified requirements. This bill would require the commission, by January 1, 2024, to update that general order to authorize each electrical corporation to use the permit-to-construct process or claim an exemption to seek approval to construct an extension, expansion, upgrade, or other modification to its existing electrical transmission facilities, as specified. Existing law prohibits an electrical corporation from beginning construction of a line, plant, or system, or of any extension thereof, without having first obtained from the commission a certificate that the present or future public convenience and necessity requires or will require its construction. This bill would provide that the extension, expansion, upgrade, or other modification of an existing electrical transmission facility does not require a certificate that the present or future public convenience and necessity requires or will require its construction. 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.