California Public Utilities Commission
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) regulates investor-owned electric and natural gas utilities operating in California. Through its oversight over utilities, the CPUC has played a key role in making California a national and international leader on a number of energy-related initiatives designed to benefit consumers, the environment, and the economy.
Among its many responsibilites, the CPUC oversees energy-related ones include electric costs, electric power procurement and generation, infrastructure, customer energy resources, energy efficiency, and electric rates and tariffs, and more.
Key CESA Accomplishments Include:
PG&E and SCE announced 165 MW and 20 MW of new energy storage contracts, respectively, for CPUC approval, pursuant to the AB 2514 energy storage procurement framework.
CPUC Decision (D.17-10-017) approved a fourth $14-million Demand Response Auction Mechanism (DRAM) with energy storage eligibility for solicitation in 2018 and deliveries in 2019
CPUC Decision (D.17-04-017) approved 85% of funds authorized by AB 1637 (another $196 million) to be made available in the Self-Generation Incentive Program (SGIP) for commercial, industrial, and residential behind-the-meter energy storage systems.
CPUC Resolutions approved 102.5 MW/362 MWh of storage for SCE and SDG&E to mitigate electric reliability risks from the moratorium on the Aliso Canyon gas storage facility
CPUC Decision (D.16-06-055) approved 75% budget allocation for storage in the Self-Generation Incentive Program, along with other reforms including changes to support long-duration storage
CPUC Decision (D.16-06-052) improved treatment of behind-the-meter energy storage load in Rule 21 and an expedited review process for standardized non-export storage
CPUC Decision approved SCE’s Application for 260 MW of energy storage contracts for its 2013 Local Capacity RFO, far exceeding the 50 MW minimum procurement target for energy storage
CPUC Decision (D.13-0-040) adopted energy storage procurement framework and mechanisms pursuant to AB 2514 targets
CPUC Decision (D.13-02-015) authorized SCE to procure at least 50 MW from energy storage resources to meet long-term local capacity requirements in West Los Angeles and Moorpark sub-areas
CPUC Decision (D.12-08-016) adopted proposed targets and framework for analyzing energy storage needs pursuant to AB 2514
CPUC Decision (D.12-04-045) approved $32M for utility Permanent Load Shifting incentive programs for behind-the-meter thermal energy storage systems
CPUC Decision (D.11-09-015) modified SGIP eligibility to include energy storage technologies