Electricity: County of Imperial and Lithium Valley.

Existing law vests the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) with regulatory authority over public utilities, including electrical corporations. Existing law establishes a state policy 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, as provided. Existing law requires the PUC, the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission, State Air Resources Board, and all other state agencies to ensure that actions taken in furtherance of that state policy meet certain criteria. This bill would require those state agencies to ensure that actions taken in furtherance of that state policy also consider the energy potential and high energy capacity of the County of Imperial and Lithium Valley, including all future energy development and output in those regions. Under existing law, a violation of the Public Utilities Act or any order, decision, rule, direction, demand, or requirement of the PUC is a crime. Because the provisions of this bill would be a part of the act and therefore a violation of the bill's requirements, or of a PUC 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.