General Provisions And Definitions - - CA Water

Section § 80700

This section highlights California's commitment to transitioning to a clean, reliable energy system and economy, despite increased challenges from climate change effects like heat waves, wildfires, and droughts. These challenges, along with issues like supply chain disruptions, are making it harder to ensure affordable and reliable electrical infrastructure.

California must maintain sufficient energy generation capacity to ensure reliability during extreme events. The state aims to make both short-term and long-term policy changes to achieve a sustainable and equitable transition to clean energy, while meeting climate targets and air quality standards. The Legislature intends this section to support existing energy policies in California and sees it as critical for public welfare, safety, and the achievement of its energy goals.

(a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:

(1) California is a leader in driving the affordable and equitable transition to a clean reliable energy system and economy. However, the impacts of climate change are occurring sooner and with more intensity and frequency than previously anticipated.

(2) Extreme events from climate change, including heat waves, wildfires, and drought, combined with other factors, such as supply chain disruptions, are jeopardizing California’s ability to build out the electrical infrastructure needed to maintain affordability and reliability.

(3) As California transitions to a clean energy future and contends with climate impacts and other challenges, sufficient capacity of new and existing generation assets will be required to maintain reliability during extreme events.

(4) California must ensure electricity reliability during this period of heightened risk, which includes extraordinary near-term measures and substantive changes to mid-term energy policy, while also ensuring the multifaceted California electrical grid is best positioned to sustainably and equitably achieve California’s clean energy future, climate targets, and air quality requirements.

(b) It is the intent of the Legislature that:

(1) The enactment of this division further the purposes of Chapter 8.9 (commencing with Section 25790) of Division 15 of the Public Resources Code. The development and operation of a program as provided in this division is in all respects for the welfare and the benefit of the people of the state, to protect public peace, health, and safety, and constitutes an essential governmental purpose. This division shall be liberally construed in a manner so as to effectuate its purposes and objectives.

(2) The powers and responsibilities of the department established under this division are not governed by the provisions related to the State Water Resources Development System pursuant to Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 12930) of Part 6 of Division 6, and this division should not constitute a limitation on, or modification of, the department’s authority pursuant to Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 12930) of Part 6 of Division 6.

clean energy transition climate change impacts electricity reliability extreme weather events energy infrastructure heat waves wildfires drought supply chain disruptions energy policy changes generation capacity equitable energy energy sustainability climate targets air quality requirements

(Added by Stats. 2022, Ch. 61, Sec. 13. (AB 205) Effective June 30, 2022.)

Section § 80700.5

This section names the division as the Electricity Supply Strategic Reliability Reserve Program.

This division shall be known, and may be cited, as the Electricity Supply Strategic Reliability Reserve Program.

Electricity Supply Strategic Reliability Reserve Program energy reliability electricity supply program strategic energy reserve energy division power supply reliability energy program name reliability reserve energy management electricity program energy reserve supply management California energy reserve

(Added by Stats. 2023, Ch. 53, Sec. 14. (SB 124) Effective July 10, 2023.)

Section § 80701

This section provides definitions for terms used in the water division of California law. It clarifies that 'California balancing authority' refers to a term defined in another part of public utilities law. The 'Commission' is the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission. 'Load-serving entity' and 'local publicly owned electric utility' are also terms defined under specific sections of the Public Utilities Code, indicating where to find more detailed descriptions.

For purposes of this division, the following definitions apply:

(a) “California balancing authority” has the same meaning set forth in Section 399.12 of the Public Utilities Code.

(b) “Commission” means the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission.

(d) “Local publicly owned electric utility” has the same meaning as defined in Section 224.3 of the Public Utilities Code.

California balancing authority State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission Public Utilities Code definitions load-serving entity local publicly owned electric utility water division definitions commission Section 399.12 Section 380 Section 224.3

(Added by Stats. 2022, Ch. 61, Sec. 13. (AB 205) Effective June 30, 2022.)