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Home My WebLink AboutCPUC – Monthly Newsletter from the CPUC, November 2018 Schuman, Amy From: Menchaca, Clarissa Sent: Monday, February 11, 2019 9:13 AM To: Schuman, Amy Subject: FW:A Monthly Newsletter From the CPUC Correspondence. Clcwi o i Mucha ca/ Associate Clerk of the Board Butte County Administration 25 County Center Drive,Suite 200, Oroville, CA 95965 T: 530.552.33081 F: 530.538.7120 Twitter 1 Facebook f YouTube 1 Pinterest From: California Public Utilities Commission<news@cpuc.ca.gov> Sent:Tuesday, November 27, 2018 9:03 AM To:Clerk of the Board <clerkoftheboard@buttecounty.net> Subject:A Monthly Newsletter From the CPUC Working for California I November 2018 Edition - ''l �S .r'�(yy r �4zf � •`'��>3 ��y��2�ti�S anti z�T ��a s✓��t�� w�r a«akz�t9n��.�� ' },ti111AK1 � y ��"•y`s�� ''�'��"'s"�.°al g�N v ^� �r'Y<,'��,`r�'�'` -v r� .: r � sr='`�/�'C�x`Y��k- r � s � a5a � �d � rrr �S s.G • -:Ft=`��`��ilsx?�5� ��"��F tl�v •� -i""} \�F` ��3�f%'3Y�2 z��r�s�' �xf'i.,.yt ic°F2 }..0�z y.l�.z"y� u,.�...{ ��ze��zs -z �1� .'1^s..:.tE"i Moving Quickly on Wildfire Safety Planning f There are many safety initiatives underway at the California Public Utilities Commission(CPUC) as it works to assure Californians'access to safe and reliable utility infrastructure and services. Safety- related articles will be featured again in future issues. _ • A SERIES ON SAFETY "k•: ;Ar Air The tragic wildfires this month are being investigated by the appropriate authorities. But it is already evident that the loss of life and property Utility wildfire planning is a focus of new legislation due to the wildfires in Northern and Southern California in November 2018 exceed historical marks by any measure. major fire, CPUC staff conducts an investigation in The California Public Utilities Commission(CPUC) parallel and in collaboration with the California is one of the government agencies tasked with Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL ensuring that investor-owned utilities operate a FIRE).When CPUC staff identifies violations safe and reliable grid.This includes developing appropriate enforcement actions are taken,which regulations that establish the minimum can include fines of$50,000 per violation per day requirements for utilities to maintain safety of their and additional penalties. equipment, including mitigating risks of electric facilities igniting wildfires. CPUC staff perform The CPUC works continuously to improve our audits and field inspections to monitor utility safety regulations and over the past four years we compliance with CPUC requirements, as well as have adopted more than 20 decisions to continuously work with utilities to understand their strengthen wildfire prevention requirements. But operational practices and identify opportunities for we need to do much more. Acting on one of the improvement. In situations in which there is major bills to emerge from the last legislative indication that utility facilities may have caused a session,the CPUC has begun a new proceeding on wildfire mitigation plans required from the state's regulated electric utilities. More Supplier Diversity Program Tops $10 Billion In 1988,when the CPUC launched its voluntary driven social justice programs in the state. Utility Supplier Diversity Program so California's regulated utilities would procure more goods and "While the goal is to increase competition and services from firms owned by women, minorities allow new entrepreneurs to compete on an even and disabled veterans,the first-year totaled playing field, (the program)also enriches the same approximately$7 million in procurement from communities these companies sell their products these groups by utilities. and services to," President Picker said during his opening remarks at an Oct.4 hearing on the program in Richmond that was attended by about 200 people."It's a way to prevent utility dollars from leaking out of the state. It's a way to help build a business infrastructure that lasts and persists and sustains in communities." He and his fellow Commissioners heard from utility executives, diversity vendors and interest groups, community activists, and others about the program 2 to encourage investor-owned utilities,water companies,telecommunication service providers, and other CPUC-regulated entities to procure or contract goods and services from women, minority, disabled veteran and/or LGBT-owned businesses. c a Launched after a series of statutes passed by the Legislature 30 years ago, 34 California utilities and telecommunications companies now participate in the program. In the process,the program has become a critical driver of economic development and job creation in diverse communities across California, serving as a template for other states. More Celebrating 30 years of Supplier Diversity In 2017,that number topped $10 billion,an impressive new benchmark for a program CPUC President Michael Picker recently called"a great accomplishment"and one of the largest business- Meet the CPUC's Cybersecurity Manager Danjel Bout,the CPUC's new Utility Cybersecurity Project Manager,wasn't born when the film"2001: .� �. A Space Odyssey"introduced into the mainstream the notion of weaponized Artificial Intelligence and Guiding principles human vulnerability from what is now known as the"Internet of Things." • Cyber is a shared responsibility Multiple agencies serve as c But in the short 50 years since those notions were "standards bodies" cyber security Cross as coilaboration is critical dismissed as science fiction,Americans have e, Fzr become dependent on the Internet working Q4( properly for such things as electricity,food and �� service delivery schedules,water delivery and " purification, medical research and services, vehicle manufacturing, government subsidies and tax refunds, pension payouts,telephone service, • national defense, and social connectivity. Bout at the Oct.25 Commission Voting Meeting presenting "Cyber threats to infrastructure pose an almost on his plans for the Utility Cyber Security Branch existential threat,"Bout says."We cannot rely on simply learning from experience.We have to anticipate and proactively address the risks we that discussing threats does not tip off hackers to collectively face." vulnerabilities. Bout's mission is to not only address threats to "The security engineering mantra`Security utility cybersecurity directly but also to ensure that Through Obscurity' is more challenging with threats to other sectors do not affect utility government entities who must operate with services.That means coordinating with every level transparency," Bout says. He speaks with 3 of government and business at each step of policy considerable experience when it comes to creation and implementation–all while insuring interagency coordination. More Rebuilding Transportation Enforcement By Commissioner Liane M. Randolph Auditors had reached the same general conclusion,citing high turnover and vacancies in In February 2017,the CPUC received the results key management positions among the reasons of an independent consultant's study of our that"the Commission's oversight of passenger Transportation Enforcement Branch (TEB)that— carriers is insufficient to address complaints by any measure—were sobering. against passenger carriers."This was a problem that cried out to be addressed. During the three years I have been a CPUC Commissioner,the rise of Transportation Network Companies(TNCs) like Uber and Lyft and the move toward driverless vehicles have disrupted the for-hire transportation industry and made the TEB's shortcomings even more acute. But as I shared at our Oct.25, 2018 Voting Meeting in San «<, a Francisco, I believe we've been able to make r5� '^e- :\ some significant strides in under two years. With strong direction from the Legislature and the provisions of Sen. Jerry Hill's Senate Bill (SB)541, we have been adding staff, expertise, management capabilities, enforcement, and As the report by Crowe LLP noted, people inside more. and outside the CPUC knew of a"widespread awareness that the branch has been struggling to We've also been able to transfer several meet its statutory mandates to protect consumers regulatory responsibilities to other state agencies and ensure public safety on California's that were a better fit,allowing us to more quickly roadways." strengthen our core areas of responsibility. There's more work to be done, but I believe are An earlier review in 2014 by the Board of State well on our way toward rebuilding our TEB. More Rail Transit Safety Program Gets Federal Certification 4 The CPUC's Rail Transit Safety Program received some good news last month when it was notified •r by the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Transit Administration(FTA)that the • me ro ram is now certified bythe federal agency. p 9 • l FTA certification is crucial for a number of � , reasons, not the least of which is that it's required rr by law.The CPUC State Safety Oversight Program, (SSO)achieved its designation well ahead of the April 2019 deadline,which—also by federal law—cannot be waived or extended. The certification is considered to be the highest level of safety for rail transit riders and workers and enables the CPUC to continue receiving CPUC workers inspecting a rail yard in Richmond federal funds for its rail safety program. California's rail transit safety program has long throughout the state. been considered the gold standard of state rail transit safety programs, but federal certification is Daren Gilbert, manager of the Rail Transit Safety crucial because without it, more than $1 billion in Branch (RTSB) located in the CPUC's Safety and FTA transit grant funds could be withheld Enforcement Division (SED), called the federal certification"a big milestone for the CPUC and our Branch." More Ensuring an Equitable Electric Market for Customers By Commissioner Carla J. Peterman ja s�7y b , �� y �' �c2sFr n 7 During the six years I've had the privilege of °< ov !' serving on the CPUC,few decisions have been more closely watched or anticipated than the votes : we took last month regarding an updated methodology for what's known in California's ` regulated electricity markets as the PCIA,which is nF short for Power Charge Indifference Adjustment. FTAk1 0'4 Because the issue is so impactful and technical, ; . as the Commissioner assigned to the proceeding ,t } frF� � I'd like to offer some perspective on my goals for what the decision seeks to accomplish. Simply put,the PCIA ensures that customers who environment of electricity choice,the PCIA is a leave traditional utilities like Pacific Gas and mechanism, required by law,to protect against Electric Company(PG&E)for community choice cost shifts between customers. aggregators(CCAs)or energy service providers (ESPs)do not pay more than their fair share of The PCIA gets complicated, among other reasons, costs for power that was bought on their behalf. because most utility planning happens on 10 and The PCIA works the other way,too–ensuring that 20-year planning horizons.That means a utility customers who stay with a utility don't have to pay must anticipate what its customers will demand far all of the costs for power that was bought for in the future and make investments based on that planning. More customers now served by a CCA. In an p 9 5 Docket: Proceedings Filed at the CPUC in Oct. 2018 Proceeding Number•Filed Date•Filer Proceeding Number•Filed Date•Filer C1809016.26Sept-2018•American Sand 81807003.05-Oct-2018•ALJ/ATAMTURK/CPUC Association Proposed Decision implementing Assembly Bill 1923 American Sand Association and Ecologic Partners, provisions related to interconnection rules for the Inc., Complainants,vs. Union Pacific Railroad, Bioenergy Feed-In-Tariff under the California Defendant[for Relief from Unlawful Closure of Public Renewables Portfolio Standard. More or Publicly-Used Crossings in violation of Pub. Util. Code Section 1202.1 More A1704010.08-Oct-2018•ALJ/KLINE/CPUC This decision grants Pacific Gas and Electric A0701031,A0704028.01-Oct-2018•Southern Company's(PG&E)motion to withdraw this California Edison Company(U 338 E) application without prejudice on condition that PG&E Applications for rehearing of Decision 18-08-026 disclose Application 17-04-010 and this Decision in (Valley-Ivy-glen 115 kV Subtransmission Line any subsequent application requesting a CPCN to Project). City of Lake Elsinore: More. Forest provide telecommunications services filed by PG&E Residents Opposing New Transmission Lines: More. or brought by any of the applicant's current directors, officers,or owners of more than 10%of its A181002•03-Oct-2018•Ednetics,Inc. outstanding shares. More Application of Ednetics, Inc. for Registration as an Interexchange Carrier Telephone Corporation 11704009.08-Oct-2018•ALJ/MASON/CPUC pursuant to the Provisions of Public Utilities Code Proposed Decision adopting the Settlement Section 1013. More Agreement, as amended, between Rasier-CA, LLC and the Consumer Protection and Enforcement R1407002.05-Oct-2018•ALJ/KAO/McKENZIE Division regarding zero tolerance rules in Safety CPUC Requirement D of Decision 13-09-045. More Decision granting petition for modification of decision 14-05-033 regarding direct current-coupled solar plus storage system. More VIEW MORE FILINGS Rianagatia s s o odOMEgtertgratilV210"ValltetiltS About this Publication This monthly newsletter is to keep you informed of proposals by the CPUC's Commissioners and Administrative Law Judges,as well as utility applications,and other issues and work of note.We also include a list summarizing the filings at.the CPUC in the previous month. We want to hear from you! If you have topics you'd like us to cover or if you'd like to make comment on our proceedings or work, please contact us at outreachacpuc.ca.gov or call(855)421-0400.You can find information about events we are having at www.cpuc.ca.gov/Events. Prior editions of this newsletter are available on the CPUC's website at www.cpuc.ca.govinewsletter. 6 California Public Utilities Commission ]www.cpuc.ca.gov] Contact us STAY CONNECTED f 0 in a Having trouble viewing this email?View in browser. California Public Utilities Commission 505 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94102 Unsubscribe clerkoftheboard@buttecounty.net Update Profile ] About our service provider Sent by news@cpuc.ca.gov in collaboration with x Constant Contact Try it free today 7