Electricity: data centers.

Existing law vests the Public Utilities Commission with regulatory authority over public utilities, including electrical corporations. 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. Existing law authorizes the commission to investigate a single rate, classification, rule, contract, practice, or the entire schedule of rates, classifications, rules, contracts, and practices, of any public utility, and to establish new rates, classifications, rules, contracts, practices, or schedules. This bill would require, as part of a new or existing proceeding, the commission to require each electrical corporation to file a transmission and distribution service tariff and a generation service tariff for participating customers, as defined, that meet certain requirements, as specified. The bill would also require, on or before January 1, 2028, each community choice aggregator or electric service provider to adopt a tariff for generation service for data centers, as defined, consistent with certain requirements, as specified. By imposing new duties on community choice aggregators, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. 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 above provisions would be a part of the act, and because a violation of a commission action implementing the above provisions 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 specified reasons.