Electric utility distribution and transmission system facilities: undergrounding and insulation., the official text

An act to add and repeal Section 279 of the Public Utilities Code, relating to electricity.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

Existing law vests the Public Utilities Commission with regulatory authority over public utilities, including electrical corporations. Under existing law, it is the policy of the state that each electrical corporation continue to operate its electric distribution grid in its service territory and to do so in a safe, reliable, efficient, and cost-effective manner.
This bill would require the commission, until January 1, 2031, to form a working group to study the cost of undergrounding and insulating overhead electric utility distribution system facilities or transmission system facilities, compile wildfire mitigation reports of electric utilities, and provide the Legislature, on or before July 1, 2027, with a plan on how to most effectively invest in undergrounding and insulating those facilities or how to otherwise support electrical corporations, as provided.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.
Section 279 is added to the Public Utilities Code, to read:
279.
(a) The commission shall form a working group to study the cost of undergrounding and insulating electric utility distribution system facilities or transmission system facilities, compile wildfire mitigation reports of electrical utilities, and provide the Legislature, on or before July 1, 2027, with a plan on how to most effectively invest in undergrounding and insulating those facilities or how to provide support to electrical corporations in order to prevent fires in lands classified as very high fire hazard severity zones, as defined in Section 51177 of the Government Code, in lands designated as Wildland Urban Interface Fire Areas, as described in Section 13108.5.1 of the Health and Safety Code, and in state forests, as defined in Section 4643 of the Public Resources Code.
(b) (1) The plan to be submitted pursuant to subdivision (a) shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.
(2) Pursuant to Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, this section is repealed on January 1, 2031.