Bill Text: CA AB2475 | 2019-2020 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Electrical corporations: electrical grid monitoring equipment pilot program.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-02-27 - Referred to Com. on U. & E. [AB2475 Detail]
Download: California-2019-AB2475-Introduced.html
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE—
2019–2020 REGULAR SESSION
Assembly Bill
No. 2475
| Introduced by Assembly Member Flora |
February 19, 2020 |
An act to add Section 8386.8 to the Public Utilities Code, relating to electricity.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 2475, as introduced, Flora.
Electrical corporations: electrical grid monitoring equipment pilot program.
Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission has regulatory authority over public utilities, including electrical corporations. Existing law requires each electrical corporation to construct, maintain, and operate its electrical lines and equipment in a manner that will minimize the risk of catastrophic wildfire posed by those electrical lines and equipment. Existing law requires each electrical corporation to annually prepare and submit a wildfire mitigation plan to the commission for review and approval, as specified. Following approval, the commission is required to oversee compliance with the plans.
This bill would require the state’s 3 largest electrical corporations, and authorize other electrical corporations, as part of the utility’s wildfire mitigation plan, to include a pilot program proposal for the installation of monitoring
equipment on transmission and distribution lines in targeted high fire-threat areas designated by the commission.
Under existing law, a violation of any order, decision, rule, direction, demand, or requirement of the commission is a crime.
Because a violation of an order or decision of the commission implementing the bill’s requirements would be a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program by creating a new crime.
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.
Digest Key
Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: YESBill Text
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 8386.8 is added to the Public Utilities Code, to read:8386.8.
(a) The state’s three largest electrical corporations shall, as part of the utility’s wildfire mitigation plan, include a pilot program proposal for the installation of monitoring equipment on transmission and distribution lines in targeted high fire-threat areas designated by the commission. An electrical corporation that is not one of the state’s three largest may seek approval from the commission to undertake a pilot program consistent with this section. The purpose of the pilot programs is to develop better information to as to whether widespread employment of monitoring equipment would be effective and cost effective in avoiding utility-caused wildfires and in limiting the consequences of those wildfires that are caused by the electrical transmission and distribution system and related equipment(b) The pilot program shall be targeted at those areas of the electrical grid that pose the greatest risk for causing a catastrophic wildfire considering the risk of causing a wildfire and the potential damage that could result from a wildfire in the area where the monitoring would take place.
(c) The pilot programs should seek to partner with local governmental entities responsible for fire safety and suppression. To the extent possible while being cost effective, the monitoring technology should employ communications capability independent of cellular communications networks.
(d) To the extent feasible, the monitoring equipment should be installed and maintained by the utility workforce, or by workers who are paid the prevailing wage for all installation- and maintenance-related work. The Director of Industrial
Relations shall determine the prevailing wage in accordance with the standards set forth in Article 2 (commencing with Section 1770) of Chapter 1 of Part 7 of Division 2 of the Labor Code. A nonutility enterprise installing or maintaining monitoring equipment shall submit wage schedules to the commission as a condition for recovery of expenses and shall make all payroll records available to the commission for enforcement purposes pursuant to this part. Certified payroll records submitted to the commission shall be public records.
