Electricity: transmission capacity: reconductoring and grid-enhancing technologies.

Existing law establishes the policy of the state that eligible renewable energy resources and zero-carbon resources supply 90% of all retail sales of electricity to California end-use customers by December 31, 2035, 95% of all retail sales of electricity to California end-use customers by December 31, 2040, 100% of all retail sales of electricity to California end-use customers by December 31, 2045, and 100% of electricity procured to serve all state agencies by December 31, 2035. This bill would require each transmission utility, as defined, on or before January 1, 2026, and every 2 years thereafter, to prepare a study of the feasibility of projects using grid-enhancing technologies to achieve, among other purposes, increased capacity to connect new renewable energy and zero-carbon resources, as provided. The bill would require each transmission utility, on or before January 1, 2026, and at least every 4 years thereafter, to prepare a study of which of its transmission lines can be reconductored with advanced conductors to achieve, among other purposes, increased capacity to connect new renewable energy and zero-carbon resources, as provided. The bill would, upon completion of those studies, require each transmission utility to submit the studies to the Independent System Operator, as specified, and would require each transmission utility to request that the Independent System Operator review the results of the studies as part of the annual transmission planning process for economic, reliability, and policy goals. The bill would, upon submission to the Independent System Operator, require the transmission utilities to make their studies publicly available. The bill would specify that information in the studies that is determined by the Independent System Operator, in consultation with the transmission utilities, to be necessary to protect the security of the electrical transmission system is to be withheld from public disclosure. Under existing law, a violation of the Public Utilities Act is a crime. Because the above-described requirements would be a part of the act, a violation of which would be a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Existing constitutional provisions require that a statute that limits the right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies be adopted with findings demonstrating the interest protected by the limitation and the need for protecting that interest. This bill would make legislative findings to that effect. 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.