II. Procedural History

On September 8, 2005, the Commission opened this Order Instituting Investigation (OII) to examine and improve the Commission's transmission planning process as it relates to renewable resources and to ensure that California has the necessary transmission infrastructure in place in order to meet the RPS goals.

On November 7, 2005, an initial prehearing conference was held and a partial procedural schedule was established. Interested parties were directed to identify the "top six" issues that need to be addressed in 2006 to facilitate renewable transmission in California and assist the utilities in meeting their 2010 RPS goals. Workshops to discuss the parties' filings followed on December 6 and 7, 2005. The December 21, 2005, the Assigned Commissioner's Ruling and Scoping Memo (ACR) established the scope and schedule for the investigation. The ACR determined that the first priority in this proceeding should be to implement and establish the cost recovery provisions set forth in § 399.25. The ACR also determined that no evidentiary hearings would be needed to implement the backstop cost recovery provisions on § 399.25.

Briefs were filed on January 25, 2006 by Southern California Edison Company (SCE), Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E), San Diego Gas & Electric Company (SDG&E), the Independent Energy Producers Association (IEP), the California Independent System Operator (CAISO), the California Wind Energy Association (CalWEA), Center for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Technologies (CEERT), The Green Power Institute and Stirling Energy Systems, Inc. (Stirling). Reply Briefs were received from SCE, PG&E, SDG&E and the CAISO (jointly as the "Joint Parties"), The Utility Reform Network (TURN), Vulcan Power Company (Vulcan), Stirling, CEERT, and CalWEA on February 17, 2006.

Today's decision is an interim order. Other high priority issues identified by the parties and Commission staff in this proceeding are currently under consideration and will be taken up as appropriate in subsequent orders and rulings.