Transcript Highlights:

• Could the author just maybe give a definition on what a large load customer is and what will distinguish
• So, this bill requires large load data centers and crypto mining facilities to pay their portion.
• If you are a load over 75 megawatts, you have to pay your infrastructure cost or go behind the meter.

Bills: HB2894 , HB3418 , HB3415 , HB3413 , HB3414 , HB3416 , HB3417 , HB3419 , HB3420 , HB1739 , HB1752 , HB1979 , HB2941 , HB2992 , HB3075 , HB3086 , HB3177 , HB3269 , HB3278 , HB3279 , HB3497 , HB3644 , HB4432 , HB3720 , HB3849 , HB3882 , HB3919 , HB3941 , HB4118 , HB4141 , HB4268 , HB4342 , HB4428 , HB4429 , HB4434

Keywords: HB2894, Oklahoma Rural Jobs Act, rural jobs, rural investment, tax credit, capital investment tax credit, state tax credits, economic development, rural fund, rural investor, qualified investment, eligible business, Department of Commerce, rural business, investment certification, tax liability, credit cap, workforce development, small business finance, rural development

Bills: SB222 , HB560 , HB475 , HB484 , HB583 , HB542 , HB566 , SB222 , HB560 , HB475 , HB484 , HB583 , HB542 , HB566

Committee: House Transportation, Utilities and Infrastructure

Keywords: medical clinic board, clinic board, hospital bankruptcy, Chapter 11, bankruptcy, debt restructuring, municipal indebtedness, municipal bankruptcy, health care provider, acute care hospital, lease property, board immunity, director liability, civil liability, healthcare finance, insolvency, debt readjustment, federal bankruptcy law, Alabama Code 11-58-5.2, library materials

Transcript Highlights:

• of megawatts used for completed interconnections, and the total number of remaining megawatts for load
• the amendment requires the public power entity's integrated system plan to distinguish extra high load
• factor customer loads if the utility has received customer-provided financial security guarantees or
• the amendment requires the public power entity's integrated system plan to distinguish extra high load
• factor customer loads if the utility has received customer-provided financial security guarantees or

Bills: HB2014 , HB2031 , HB2078 , HB2102 , HB2103 , HB2117 , HB2261 , HB2262 , HB2264 , HB2278 , HB2428 , HB2494 , HB2756 , HB2758 , HB2762 , HB2782 , HB2932 , HB2933 , HB2986

Committees: Senate Natural Resources , Senate Senate Natural Resources Committee of Reference

Keywords: air emissions, fuel blends, environmental quality, feasibility study, Arizona Department of Agriculture, water rights, groundwater, Willcox, active management area, certificate of grandfathered rights, Arizona legislature, aggregate mining, reclamation plans, environmental protection, public safety, land use, domestic water, improvement district, water delivery, water hauling

Transcript Highlights:

• So, Representative, my question is this: we have multiple types of businesses that draw large power loads
• that putting this in place now and possibly working Out other issues pertaining to all industrial load

Bills: HB2059 , HB3920 , HB2992 , HB3267 , HB4457 , HB3800 , HB3818 , HB4425 , HB4427 , HB4430 , HB4431 , HB4333 , HB4340 , HB4343 , HB4344 , HB4363 , HB4229 , HB4230 , HB4236 , HB4246 , HB1979 , HB3431 , HB3052 , HB3047 , HB3048 , HB4092 , HB4302 , HB3261 , HB3704 , HB3312 , HB3546 , HB3849 , HCR1021 , HB4105 , HB4159 , HB4304 , HB3835 , HB3619 , HB4490 , HB3710 , HB4201 , HB3907 , HB3748

Keywords: health care, medication, inmates, Oklahoma Health Care Authority, reimbursement, county jails, medical expenses, sales tax exemption, nonprofit organizations, procurement, transplant research, Oklahoma Tax Code, HB2992, Data Center Customer Ratepayer Protection Act of 2026, Corporation Commission, Oklahoma utilities, ratepayer protection, data centers, artificial intelligence computing, AI data centers

Transcript Highlights:

• So when we go through the process where we're doing our load forecast... ...fairly typical for those.
• within the local area, because now you're not only forecasting the total volume of load but where...
• ...within the local area, because now you're not only forecasting the total volume of load but where
• The speculative and uncertain nature data center request for energization can inflate load forecasts
• load, and the RPS forecasted load is our compliance with the state renewable portfolio standard.

Summary: The joint informational hearing of the Assembly Committees on Utilities and Energy and Privacy and Consumer Protection focused on the energy impacts of AI and the rapid growth of data centers in California. Chairs and members emphasized that the state wants to support innovation and data center development, but only under terms that protect ratepayers, preserve reliability, and avoid stranded grid costs. Testimony from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, the California Energy Commission, the CPUC, CAISO, PG&E, Silicon Valley Power, and the Data Center Coalition described the scale of projected load growth, the uncertainty in forecasting, and the need for coordinated planning across agencies. Dr. Nate Gleason of Lawrence Livermore said data centers are a major and fast-growing share of electricity demand, with planning challenges driven by short construction timelines for data centers versus long lead times for transmission and generation. He urged stochastic planning, co-optimization of generation, storage, and transmission, and greater use of flexible load and demand response. CEC Director Alicia Gutierrez described the CEC’s bottom-up forecasting approach, based on utility energization requests and load profiles, and said California has over 23,000 megawatts of data center capacity requests in the CAISO footprint. CPUC Deputy Executive Director Luan Tesfai outlined recent actions on energization timelines, flexible service connections, PG&E’s Rule 30 tariff, and the commission’s resource planning and transmission permitting work. CAISO’s Neil Miller stressed that large loads affect transmission planning, interconnection, and reliability standards, and said the agency is preparing additional stakeholder work on technical issues. Utility and industry witnesses said California is already seeing substantial data center interest and is building out infrastructure accordingly. PG&E’s Mike Medeiros said the utility has more than 10 gigawatts of data center interest in its territory, has shifted to cluster studies, and is using flexible interconnection tools such as FlexConnect to speed service while protecting reliability. Silicon Valley Power’s Nico Prokos said data centers account for about 55% of its power use and that the city is investing heavily in transmission and local system upgrades to support projected load growth. He also warned that AI loads may be more variable than traditional cloud loads and that backup generation and air quality constraints complicate curtailment strategies. The Data Center Coalition’s Karabonder argued that data centers are also driving efficiency gains and support critical digital services, while urging better forecasting methods, more transparency, and regular backcasting. Members asked about statutory authority, data availability, flexible load, and whether current forecasts are sufficient for long-lead infrastructure planning. Witnesses said California already has authority to pursue flexible service and rate design, and that the CEC and CPUC have access to utility data, though out-year demand remains highly uncertain. CPUC representatives noted an advanced rate design rulemaking and said the commission is opening additional work on ratepayer impacts. No votes were taken during the informational hearing, and the discussion ended with continued questions about how California should structure planning, pricing, and reliability rules as AI-related load grows.

Transcript Highlights:

• within the local area, because now you're not only forecasting the total volume of load but where...
• Within the local area, because now you're not only forecasting the total volume of load but where.
• But data center requests can be speculative, adding uncertainty to load forecasting and infrastructure
• We provided comments in CAISO-led and CEC-led forums on the need to avoid speculative load forecasting
• load, and the RPS forecasted load is our compliance with the state renewable portfolio standard.

Transcript Highlights:

• forecast, the updated load forecast of the recovery flood that Senator Kohlkorst is here.
• And that created the ERCOT adjusted large load forecast.
• Those curves are dictated by the load forecast.
• So, if the load forecast is exorbitantly high or incorrectly high, it limits the amount of space that
• Even the adjusted load forecast, which takes us out to about 145 in 2031, is a huge growth number.

Bills: SB438 , SB512 , SB647 , SB648 , SB1495 , SB2121 , SB2145 , SB2154 , SB2167 , SB2184 , SB2211 , SB2268 , SB2349 , SB2443 , SB2629 , SB2702 , SB2902

Committee: Senate Business & Commerce

Summary: The Senate Committee on Business and Commerce met with a quorum and took up several pending bills, voting favorably on SB 1612, SB 2717, SB 1468, SB 1642, and SB 1789. SB 1612 was reported favorably with objections to the local and contested calendar, while SB 2717, SB 1468, SB 1642, and SB 1789 were reported favorably, with SB 1642 and SB 1789 sent to the floor. SB 2717 would create the Texas Energy Efficiency Council; SB 1642 would add an executive director to the Texas Department of Insurance structure; and SB 1789 would establish pole standards and clarify PUC authority and remedies. The committee also heard an ERCOT update from CEO Pablo Vegas on the updated long-term load forecast, which showed a much higher unadjusted growth projection driven largely by data centers. ERCOT described an adjusted forecast using historical delays and lower realized build rates, and members discussed reliability, generation timelines, and the importance of SB 6 for demand response and flexibility. The committee then heard and left pending SB 2629, which would allow condominium and property owners’ association meetings and voting by electronic means; SB 2702, which would let nationally certified professionals test backflow prevention assemblies without a separate TCEQ license; SB 2167, which would let TDLR pause new license applications tied to human trafficking emergency orders or pending SOAH cases; SB 2349, which would exempt short-term leases and certain leasebacks from flood disclosure requirements; SB 2121, which would tighten the data broker registry law; and SB 2443, which would authorize TDLR electronic delivery of notices and other documents. Testimony generally supported these bills as cleanup, modernization, or workforce-streamlining measures, with some members expressing caution about electronic meetings and emphasizing in-person accountability. The committee also heard SB 2902 on coerced debt and identity theft, with testimony from a law professor and family violence advocates supporting stronger protections for survivors and suggesting a police report as an additional proof option. SB 512, a refiled bill restricting money transmission license holders from fining users for terms-of-service violations, also received supportive testimony and was left pending. Later, the committee heard SB 2145 on allowing certain TIF boards to meet virtually in narrow circumstances, SB 2268 on extending Texas Energy Fund loan deadlines in some cases, SB 1495 creating an EV supply equipment advisory board, SB 2154 regulating delivery network companies under a statewide framework, SB 2184 lowering the age for pyrotechnic operator and fireworks display permits from 21 to 18, SB 2211 on combining data centers, power generation, and produced-water desalination projects, and SB 647 on title theft protections and clerk authority to refuse fraudulent filings. Most of these bills were left pending after brief testimony and questions, with members focusing on reliability, regulation, and safeguards against fraud.

Transcript Highlights:

• The California Energy Commission does the load forecasting so that we're ready for any variations in
• forecast.
• forecast.
• One is large loads, as we have new data centers and other loads energized to the system.
• as a load.

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Utilities and Energy heard SB 1259, which would require refineries to provide advance closure and remediation planning information, and SB 1425, which would authorize the High-Speed Rail Authority to create a permit process for encroachments in its right of way. The committee also held an informational hearing on California electricity reliability and the future of the Strategic Reliability Reserve. The chair opened by noting the hearing room change, testimony limits, and that the committee would proceed without a quorum at first, then later established quorum for votes. On SB 1259, Senator Blake Spear argued the bill would give communities and state agencies needed information to plan for refinery closures, cleanup, and land reuse, comparing the requirement to estate planning. Supporters, including Benicia City Councilmember Carrie Birdseye and UC Santa Barbara professor Ranjit Schmook, said the bill would help communities facing refinery closures avoid being left without information and better prepare for redevelopment and remediation. Opponents, including the Western States Petroleum Association, the State Building and Construction Trades Council, and business groups, argued the bill could send negative market signals, create conflicts with federal reporting, and potentially accelerate refinery closures. The committee passed SB 1259 on a 7-3 vote, later reopening the roll and recording additional votes before moving it out as amended to Appropriations. On SB 1425, Senator Cortese and sponsor Robert Pearsall said the bill would help the High-Speed Rail Authority manage utility, broadband, drainage, and vegetation encroachments along the project corridor and reduce delays. Labor and construction groups supported the measure as a way to add certainty and speed project delivery. Utilities and local agencies, including LADWP, Southern California Gas, Southern California Edison, PG&E, and others, opposed unless amended, saying the bill needed clearer language on emergencies, existing agreements, and potential impacts on their own rights of way and service obligations. After discussion about emergency language and utility coordination, the committee passed SB 1425 as amended to Appropriations on a 10-3 vote. In the oversight hearing, CEC, CPUC, CAISO, and DWR officials reported that California’s summer reliability outlook is better than in prior years, with substantial new procurement, storage, and demand-response resources added since 2020. They said the state is projected to meet its summer reliability standard and has not needed a flex alert for three straight years, but cautioned that extreme heat, fire, hydro conditions, and federal policy uncertainty still pose risks. Officials emphasized that the current Strategic Reliability Reserve remains important as a backstop, while longer-term planning must address rising demand from electrification and data centers and the eventual retirement of emergency resources.

Transcript Highlights:

• What I'm showing you here on the slide is a series of electric load forecasts that are really a summary
• The orange line is the summertime peak load forecast, and the green line is the annual energy.
• These are different vintages of load forecasts.
• I wanted to also point out that we are already exceeding some of those load forecasts.
• So just to give you a sense of where we're tracking with respect to those load forecasts.

Committee: Senate Environment, Energy & Technology

Summary: The committee held a work session focused on PFAS, no-cost allowance allocation for emissions-intensive trade-exposed industries (EITEs), and regional resource adequacy. Department of Ecology staff outlined Washington’s Safer Products for Washington PFAS program, including completed restrictions on intentionally added PFAS in outdoor furniture, carpets, stain/water-resistant treatments, and newer rules adopted in November restricting PFAS in most apparel, cleaners, and automotive washes, with reporting required for some remaining products such as cookware and firefighting gear. Ecology also reviewed a 2024 biosolids PFAS sampling study showing PFOS and PFOA levels in Washington biosolids were comparable to other states, and the Department of Health reported that PFAS monitoring of Group A public water systems is nearly complete, with 317 sources and 188 systems expected to exceed contaminant levels under the new federal-aligned state standards. Members asked about consumer sales, compliance, private wells, health impacts, and the cost of treatment, which DOH estimated at roughly $970 million for public water system treatment alone, with a remaining funding gap after state and federal support. Ecology then presented its analysis of no-cost allowance allocation to EITEs under the Climate Commitment Act. Staff explained that EITEs receive allowances to reduce emissions leakage and protect competitiveness, with allocations based on 2015–2019 production and emissions data and phased reductions from 100% in the first compliance period to 94% in 2031–2034. Ecology said it is preparing a report due by the end of 2025 on policy options for 2035–2050, after extensive engagement with industry, labor, environmental, utility, port, and tribal stakeholders. Senators asked about leakage, comparisons with California and Quebec, whether specific industries such as Boeing or semiconductor manufacturers are included, and whether EITEs are banking or selling allowances; Ecology said the report will address benchmarking, leakage mitigation, decarbonization barriers, and economic and environmental justice impacts. E3 then presented a regional resource adequacy study for the Pacific Northwest, warning that electricity demand is rising faster than in years past, retirements are outpacing replacements, and the region could face supply shortfalls beginning in 2026, especially during extended winter cold events. The study found that wind, solar, and batteries provide limited reliability value in the Northwest’s winter-peaking, hydro-dependent system, while firm gas and emerging technologies such as geothermal, nuclear, hydrogen, carbon capture, and long-duration storage may play larger roles. E3 estimated a near-term gap of about 9,000 megawatts by 2030, with roughly 3,000 megawatts of advanced-development resources and a remaining gap of about 6,000 megawatts if planned projects do not materialize. Members asked about Energy Northwest, hydro, data centers, battery storage, transmission, and whether neighboring states’ coal use affects Washington; E3 emphasized the need to accelerate permitting, interconnection, and project development. Finally, EPRI briefed the committee on its DC Flex initiative, which is studying how data centers can operate more flexibly to reduce strain on the grid and protect ratepayers. The presentation described work streams on flexible data center design, utility programs and tariffs, operational forecasting and interconnection, and on-site energy supply options, along with demonstrations in the U.S. and abroad. The speaker said the goal is to make data centers more responsive to grid conditions without compromising uptime, and noted that the initiative has a public forum and website for broader participation.

Transcript Highlights:

• ANOTHER AREA THE DATA CENTER INDUSTRY HAS BEEN ACTIVE IN HIS LOAD FORECASTING.
• EFFECTIVE LOAD FORECASTING IS NOT NEARLY A TECHNICAL INPUT BUT A FOUNDATIONAL REQUIREMENT FOR ENSURING
• FOR ANY LOAD ADJUSTMENTS OF 50 MEGAWATTS OR MORE SUBMITTED FOR INCLUSION IN THE FORECAST SUBMITTING ENTITY
• FORECAST.
• WE KNEW THE LOADS WERE COMING.

Transcript Highlights:

• of these large loads.
• And transmission needs, and to improve resource forecasting of these large loads.
• of these large loads.
• It needs more clean energy, even without large new loads.
• It needs more clean energy, even without large new loads.

Summary: The committee first met in executive session on Senate Bill 5941, which would exempt certain school districts from a Washington State Energy Code requirement for onsite renewable energy systems on large new commercial buildings or additions. The committee adopted Senator Short’s amendment narrowing the eligible school district definition from 1,000 or fewer students to 500 or fewer students, then approved the bill as amended and sent it to the Rules Committee with a do pass recommendation. The committee then held a public hearing on Senate Bill 6171, a proposed substitute addressing emerging large energy use facilities, primarily data centers. Staff explained that the bill would require utilities serving such facilities to adopt tariffs or policies to protect other ratepayers, require long-term contracts and full cost recovery, allow curtailment during emergencies, add reporting and sustainability requirements, create a fee to fund energy assistance, weatherization, and higher education programs, and impose new clean energy and labor-related requirements. The prime sponsor said the bill is intended to protect affordability, reliability, transparency, and the public interest as data center demand grows. Testimony was mixed. Supporters, including community action groups, environmental organizations, some utilities, Ecology, and student representatives, argued the bill would prevent cost shifting, improve transparency, support low-income energy assistance, and help manage grid and climate impacts. Opponents, including data center representatives, public utility district and business groups, and some local government and port officials, said the bill was too prescriptive, could raise costs, threaten competitiveness, duplicate existing utility practices, and interfere with existing CCA/CETA provisions and local flexibility. No vote was taken on SB 6171 during the hearing, and the meeting adjourned after public testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• Utilize the load forecast etc.
• First, the solution for poor load forecasting.
• Number one, we're shooting for transparency and credibility to the load forecast.
• Thank you so much for your diligence and really knowledge of this and work. the large load forecasting
• And I'll add that I believe that we're going to see in this next iteration of a load forecast update,

Bills: SB 6 , SB6 , SB504 , SB765 , SB815 , SB929

Committee: Senate Business & Commerce

Transcript Highlights:

• English mentioned, the load forecast rule has already been completed.
• and medium-sized loads, as they may relate to the load forecast.
• and medium load forecast information based on those criteria.
• The load forecast that ERCOT released recently is more than double the forecast that we were concerned
• What loads get included in that load forecast that all the transmission planning is based on, but also

Committee: House State Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• of these large loads.
• This bill should be applied to all large loads of a certain threshold.
• It needs more clean energy, even without large new loads.
• It needs more clean energy, even without large new loads.
• requests, which may overstate the resources needed to meet these loads.

Bills: SB6171 , SB5965 , SB5982 , SB6004 , SB6010 , SB5941 , SB6050

Committee: Senate Environment, Energy & Technology

Keywords: energy facilities, large energy consumers, regulation, environment, sustainability, retail bags, pollution, customer impact, consumer-owned utilities, clean energy, port districts, market customers, energy transformation, renewable energy, public entities, electric generation, contracting, SB 6010, Washington energy siting, EFSEC

Transcript Highlights:

• The California Energy Commission does the load forecasting so that we're ready for any variations in
• These load-serving entities represent about 75% of all of the electricity load in California.
• forecast.
• One is large loads, as we have new data centers and other loads energized to the system.
• as a load.

Committee: House Utilities and Energy

Transcript Highlights:

• What I'm showing you here on the slide is a series of electric load forecasts—a summary of forecasts
• These are different vintages of load forecasts.
• I also wanted to point out that we are already exceeding some of those load forecasts.
• So just to give you a sense of where we're tracking with respect to those load forecasts.
• Fifty to 60% of the load growth that's in the forecast is probably data centers.

Summary: The committee held a work session covering PFAS regulation and impacts, no-cost allowance allocation for emissions-intensive trade-exposed industries (EITEs), and regional resource adequacy and data center load growth. Senator Victoria Hunt was welcomed as a new member. The Department of Ecology reviewed Washington’s Safer Products for Washington PFAS work, including completed restrictions on PFAS in outdoor furniture, carpets, rugs, stain/water-resistant treatments, and newer rules adopted in November restricting PFAS in most apparel, cleaning products, and automotive washes, with reporting requirements for some other products such as cookware and firefighting gear. Ecology also described Cycle 2 PFAS reviews now underway, including artificial turf and paints, and answered questions about compliance, online sales, sell-through periods, and how Washington’s approach differs from broader bans in states like Maine and Minnesota. The Department of Ecology also presented on PFAS in biosolids, describing a 2024 sampling study, limitations in testing methods, and a 2025 statutory amendment requiring additional sampling between 2027 and 2028 and a report to the legislature in 2029. The Department of Health then updated the committee on PFAS in drinking water, reporting that most Group A public water systems have completed sampling, that 317 sources and 188 systems are expected to exceed new contaminant levels, and that treatment costs for public systems are estimated at about $970 million, leaving a large funding gap; members also asked about private wells, health effects, bathing exposure, and home filters. The Board of Health’s new state action levels are being aligned with federal MCLs, and the department said it expects to continue monitoring and notification under state rules. Ecology also briefed the committee on no-cost allowance allocations to EITEs under the Climate Commitment Act, explaining the leakage-mitigation rationale, the current allocation schedule through 2034, and a forthcoming report on policy options for 2035-2050; members asked about industry barriers, competitiveness, and whether facilities might leave the state. Finally, E3 presented a regional resource adequacy study showing rising load, retirements outpacing additions, limited winter reliability value from wind, solar, and batteries, and a projected shortfall beginning in 2026 that could grow to about 9,000 MW by 2030 if planned projects are not built. The presentation emphasized winter cold-weather events, hydro variability, the importance of permitting and transmission, and longer-term options including nuclear, geothermal, hydrogen, carbon capture, and long-duration storage. EPRI then introduced its DC Flex initiative, which is studying how data centers can provide flexible load through workload shifting, cooling optimization, and on-site backup or bridging resources to reduce grid stress and protect ratepayers.

Transcript Highlights:

• CEC's primary responsibility with respect to reliability is load forecasting so that we're ready for
• Or do we want to have the load meaningfully show up to absorb ...the load, or do we want to have the
• So load management for EVs.
• The next column, the green one there, is the forecasted one-in-two-year load.
• , we can comfortably cover the forecast load, including all the reserves, both what's required and what's

Committee: House Utilities and Energy

Summary: The committee first heard AB 1026 by Assembly Member Wilson, a bill aimed at reducing delays in utility energization applications that can hold up approved housing projects. Supporters, including the Housing Action Coalition, Mission Housing, and several housing and local government groups, said investor-owned utilities should follow clearer timelines and disclosure requirements so projects can move forward predictably. Opponents from PG&E and Southern California Edison argued the bill was unnecessary, could conflict with CPUC efforts already underway, and should wait for the ongoing energization rulemaking to conclude. After discussion of the bill’s amendments and timelines, the committee passed AB 1026 on a 15-0 vote, and also dispensed with the consent calendar on a 15-0 vote. The hearing then shifted to the committee’s annual oversight hearing on electric reliability. Representatives from the CPUC, CEC, CAISO, and DWR reviewed lessons from the 2020 rolling outages and 2022 heat events, emphasizing improved planning, better coordination, and the role of strategic reserves. They reported that California enters summer 2025 in a stronger position, with no expected shortfalls under traditional planning conditions and a surplus under standard reliability analysis, though they cautioned that wildfire and extreme heat could still create risk. They also highlighted major additions of battery storage, new procurement, and transmission and market reforms that have improved reliability and flexibility. Members asked about data center load growth, the future of Diablo Canyon, the strategic reliability reserve, wildfire costs, regional market expansion, and the balance between affordability and reliability. Witnesses said data center demand remains a major variable, Diablo Canyon should be planned for as if it may retire on schedule unless policy changes are made, and demand response and energy efficiency remain important tools. CAISO described the Western Energy Imbalance Market and the upcoming extended day-ahead market as major sources of savings and reliability benefits. The panel also said the new slice-of-day resource adequacy framework is working so far, with high compliance and ongoing monitoring.

Transcript Highlights:

• Rickerson, what are your thoughts on the load forecast for 130 to 250?
• So the load forecast doesn't include all of that.
• And so, particularly when we're trying to talk about load forecasts, we can't even figure out what load
• And so, particularly when we're trying to talk about load forecasts, we can't even figure out what load
• It’s reasonable to question how that fits into the load forecast, but the load forecast doesn't include

Committee: Senate Business & Commerce

Transcript Highlights:

• The CEC's primary responsibility with respect to reliability is load forecasting so that we're ready
• forecast, we were also...
• So load management for EVs.
• So load management for EVs.
• If we encounter our typical one-in-two-year event, we can comfortably cover the forecast load, including

Summary: The committee first heard AB 1026 by Assembly Member Wilson, which would require investor-owned utilities to provide clearer front-end information and follow more consistent timelines for post-entitlement energization applications tied to housing projects. The author and supporters from the Housing Action Coalition and Mission Housing said utility delays can hold up approved housing, add costs, and create uncertainty, and they argued the bill would align utility processes with recent state efforts to streamline local permitting. PG&E and Southern California Edison opposed the bill, saying existing CPUC timelines and the ongoing energization rulemaking already address the issue, that the bill could be duplicative or premature, and that some proposed timelines were too short. The committee discussed the bill’s relationship to the CPUC’s September 2024 decision, and AB 1026 was ultimately approved on a 15-0 vote, with the consent calendar also passing. The second half of the hearing was the committee’s annual oversight hearing on electric reliability. Representatives from the CPUC, CEC, CAISO, and DWR reviewed lessons from the 2020 and 2022 heat emergencies, emphasizing that California has since added significant resources, improved planning, and created backstop programs such as the strategic reliability reserve. They said the summer 2025 outlook is cautiously optimistic, with no expected shortfalls under traditional planning conditions and a projected surplus, though wildfire and extreme heat remain risks. The agencies also described major changes in planning and operations, including more battery storage, updated resource adequacy rules, expanded transmission planning, and reforms to the interconnection queue. Members asked about data center load, Diablo Canyon’s future, the strategic reliability reserve, demand response, wildfire mitigation costs, affordability, and regional market expansion. Witnesses said data center demand is a major variable but can be managed through better forecasting, flexible service arrangements, and siting in areas with existing capacity; they also said firm clean resources remain valuable while planning continues around Diablo Canyon’s scheduled retirement. On affordability, they said the agencies try to balance reliability with least-cost procurement, and that new resources can lower market prices even as they require upfront investment. CAISO also highlighted the value of the Western Energy Imbalance Market and the planned day-ahead market, saying regional coordination improves both reliability and cost savings.

Transcript Highlights:

• Residential and small commercial consumers will benefit from more accurate load growth forecasting and
• So that's one of the mechanisms behind interpreting forecasted load solutions, whether we're thinking
• In the future as it's currently forecasted now one way to hedge against this is by requiring large load
• load. simple the load went up and down with with with the forecast.
• So those are all areas. of load growth that we're seeing in that future load forecast.

Committee: House State Affairs