ALJ/PVA/hkr DRAFT Agenda ID #4748

Ratesetting

8/25/2005 Item 51

Decision DRAFT DECISION OF ALJ ALLEN (Mailed 6/29/2005)

BEFORE THE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

Order Instituting Rulemaking to Implement the California Renewables Portfolio Standard Program.

Rulemaking 04-04-026 (Filed April 22, 2004)

OPINION ON PARTICIPATION OF ENERGY SERVICE PROVIDERS, COMMUNITY CHOICE AGGREGATORS,
AND SMALL AND MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL UTILITIES
IN THE RENEWABLES PORTFOLIO STANDARDS PROGRAM

Summary

In this decision we set forth the basic parameters for the participation of Energy Service Providers (ESPs), Community Choice Aggregators (CCAs), and small and multi-jurisdictional utilities in the Renewables Portfolio Standards (RPS) program.

Under Senate Bill (SB) 1078, ESP and CCA participation in the RPS program is subject to the same terms and conditions applicable to an electrical corporation. Accordingly, ESPs and CCAs are generally treated identically to the investor-owned utilities for purposes of the RPS program if, like the utilities, they enter into power purchase contracts that require Public Goods Charge (PGC) funds. The requirements of SB 1078 are also applicable to small and multi-jurisdictional utilities in California, but we need more detailed information in order to determine how to best facilitate their participation in the RPS program.