SECTIONS 25700-25705 - California Statutes

PUBLIC RESOURCES CODE

SECTION 25700-25705

25700. The commission shall, in accordance with the provisions of
this chapter, develop contingency plans to deal with possible
shortages of electrical energy or fuel supplies to protect public
health, safety, and welfare.

25701. (a) Within six months after the effective date of this
division, each electric utility, gas utility, and fuel wholesaler or
manufacturer in the state shall prepare and submit to the commission
a proposed emergency load curtailment plan or emergency energy supply
distribution plan setting forth proposals for identifying priority
loads or users in the event of a sudden and serious shortage of fuels
or interruption in the generation of electricity.
(b) The commission shall encourage electric utilities to cooperate
in joint preparation of an emergency load curtailment plan or
emergency energy distribution plan. If such a cooperative plan is
developed between two or more electric utilities, such utilities may
submit such joint plans to the commission in place of individual
plans required by subdivision (a) of this section.
(c) The commission shall collect from all relevant governmental
agencies, including, but not limited to, the Public Utilities
Commission and the California Emergency Management Agency, any
existing contingency plans for dealing with sudden energy shortages
or information related thereto.

25702. The commission shall, after one or more public hearings,
review the emergency load curtailment program plans or emergency
energy supply distribution plans submitted pursuant to Section 25701,
and, within one year after the effective date of this division, the
commission shall approve and recommend to the Governor and the
Legislature plans for emergency load curtailment and energy supply
distribution in the event of a sudden energy shortage. Such plans
shall be based upon the plans presented by the electric utilities,
gas utilities, and fuel wholesalers or manufacturers, information
provided by other governmental agencies, independent analysis and
study by the commission and information provided at the hearing or
hearings. Such plans shall provide for the provision of essential
services, the protection of public health, safety, and welfare, and
the maintenance of a sound basic state economy. Provision shall be
made in such plans to eliminate wasteful, uneconomic, and unnecessary
uses of energy in times of shortages and to differentiate
curtailment of energy consumption by users on the basis of ability to
accommodate such curtailments. Such plans shall also specify the
authority of and recommend the appropriate actions of state and local
governmental agencies in dealing with energy shortages.

25703. Within four months after the date of certification of any
new facility, the commission shall review and revise the recommended
plans based on additional new capacity attributed to any such
facility. The commission shall, after one or more public hearings,
review the plans at least every five years from the approval of the
initial plan as specified in Section 25702.

25704. The commission shall carry out studies to determine if
potential serious shortages of electrical, natural gas, or other
sources of energy are likely to occur and shall make recommendations
to the Governor and the Legislature concerning administrative and
legislative actions required to avert possible energy supply
emergencies or serious fuel shortages, including, but not limited to,
energy conservation and energy development measures, to grant
authority to specific governmental agencies or officers to take
actions in the event of a sudden energy shortage, and to clarify and
coordinate existing responsibilities for energy emergency actions.

25705. If the commission determines that all reasonable
conservation, allocation, and service restriction measures may not
alleviate an energy supply emergency, and upon a declaration by the
Governor or by an act of the Legislature that a threat to public
health, safety, and welfare exists and requires immediate action, the
commission shall authorize the construction and use of generating
facilities under such terms and conditions as specified by the
commission to protect the public interest.
Within 60 days after the authorization of construction and use of
such generating facilities, the commission shall issue a report
detailing the full nature, extent, and estimated duration of the
emergency situation and making recommendations to the Governor and
the Legislature for further energy conservation and energy supply
measures to alleviate the emergency situation as alternatives to use
of such generating facilities.