X. Future CCA Issues

The CCA program is new in California and there is little experience with such a program anywhere. Our order today and the parties who contributed to it have sought to anticipate every contingency on the one hand and permit some flexibility on the other with the expectation that the utilities and CCAs may be able to tailor operational arrangements according to circumstances in ways that promote program efficiency and fairness. We recognize, however, that a CCA's operation may affect customers, utilities and the power system in ways we cannot today anticipate.

We expect CCAs may initiate service to local customers in the next year or two. Experience with their operations will undoubtedly provide experience and information about the policies and rules we adopt today. We intend for that experience to inform future inquiries and decision-making on CCA issues. Accordingly, although we close this proceeding today, we intend to initiate a new rulemaking to review the program within a year of the initiation of the first CCA's operation. In the meantime, we encourage CCAs and utilities to bring to our attention problems with existing tariffs, rules or policies adopted today. They may do so by consulting with our technical staff or filing petitions to modify orders issued in this proceeding. We will also entertain motions to reopen this proceeding and consider specific issues.