California Public Utilities Commission
505 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE PRESS RELEASE Media Contact: Terrie Prosper, 415.703.1366, news@cpuc.ca.gov Docket #: R.11-05-005

CPUC APPROVES CATEGORIES FOR RENEWABLES PROGRAM

SAN FRANCISCO, December 15, 2011 - The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) today implemented a number of changes to its renewable energy program, including establishing three new portfolio content categories for procurement and setting limitations on the use of procurement in each category.

As of December 10, 2011, the effective date of Senate Bill 2 (1X), investor-owned utilities (IOUs) are required to provide specific information to the CPUC in their Advice Letters when seeking approval of renewable energy contracts. The specific information will allow CPUC staff to evaluate the categorization of the planned procurement and the value and risk of procurement in those categories to consumers. In addition, all retail sellers (IOUs, electric service providers, and community choice aggregators) must provide sufficient information for CPUC staff to make an after-the-fact determination of whether a retail seller's claimed procurement actually meets the requirements of the new portfolio content categories.

"I am pleased that we are adopting a second decision to speed implementation of the state's requirement that at least 33 percent of California's electric supply come from clean, renewable energy by 2020, and in so doing guarantee that most of the new renewables are built within California," said Commissioner Mark J. Ferron, lead Commissioner for this proceeding.

CPUC President Michael R. Peevey commented, "As California moves forward to achieve its new goal of 33 percent renewables by 2020, today's decision provides much needed clarification to all utilities on the appropriateness of future renewable energy purchases as they work toward providing more clean energy to their customers."

Senate Bill 2 (1X), in addition to creating the portfolio content categories for renewable energy procurement, also extends the state's renewable energy goal from 20 percent of retail sales to 33 percent by the end of 2020.

The proposal voted on is available at http://docs.cpuc.ca.gov/WORD_PDF/AGENDA_DECISION/155434.pdf.

For more information on the CPUC, please visit www.cpuc.ca.gov.

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