The Basics

In this section, we define terms specifying various entities' roles and responsibilities and funding sources for energy efficiency programs.

Who's Who

Administrator: A person, company, partnership, corporation, association, or other entity selected by the Commission and any Subcontractor that is retained by an aforesaid entity to contract for and administer energy efficiency programs funded in whole or in part from electric or gas public goods charge (PGC) funds.

California Energy Commission (CEC): The state agency charged with statewide power plant siting, supply and demand forecasting, as well as multiple types of energy analysis.

California Public Utilities Commission (Commission): The state agency charged with regulating California Investor-Owned Utilities (IOUs), and with overseeing ratepayer-funded public purpose energy efficiency programs.

Customer: Any person or entity that pays an electric and/or gas bill to an IOU and that is the ultimate consumer of goods and services including energy efficiency products, services, or practices.

Implementer: An entity or person selected and contracted with or qualified by a program administrator or by the Commission to receive PGC funds for providing products and services to Customers.

Large Investor-Owned Utilities (IOUs): Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E), San Diego Gas and Electric (SDG&E), Southern California Edison (SCE), and Southern California Gas (SoCalGas).

Parties or Interested Parties: Persons and organizations with an interest in energy efficiency that comment on or participate in the Commission's efforts to develop and implement ratepayer-funded energy efficiency programs.

Funding Sources

Electric Public Goods Charge (PGC): Per Assembly Bill (AB) 1890, a universal charge applied to each electric utility Customer's bill to support the provision of public goods. Public goods covered by California's electric PGC include public purpose energy efficiency programs, low-income services, renewables, and energy-related research and development. This manual applies only to energy efficiency PGC funds.

Gas Public Goods Charge (PGC): Created by AB1002 in 2000, an unbundled rate component included on gas customer bills to fund public purpose programs including energy efficiency, low-income and research and development. This policy manual applies only to the energy efficiency portions of the gas PGC.