Draft Amendments to SB 1133

Senator Debra Bowen, Chairwoman
Conference Committee on S.B. 1133

Hydroelectric Facilities

 

Tuesday, September 7, 1999
Upon adjournment of Senate and Assembly floor sessions
Room 4203

Agenda

Review of Draft Amendments to SB 1133

Discussion Items:

1. Use of excess rate reduction bonds to end the rate freeze early for small customers (Section 3, page 3).
   
   Should excess rate reduction bonds be applied to the CTC to accelerate the end of the rate freeze and/or used to finance an additional 10% rate reduction guarantee for residential and small commercial customers?
    
2. Appropriate term of ownership (Section 4, page 4).
   
   If facilities are transferred to PG&E’s affiliate, how long should it be required to retain ownership or control of them?
    
3. Affiliate transaction (Section 4, page 6) and equity ratio (Section 5, page 9) exemptions.
   
   If facilities are transferred to PG&E’s affiliate, are certain exemptions from CPUC rules necessary or appropriate?
    
4. Environmental commitments (Section 8, page 13).
   
   Should specific environmental commitments be made prior to passage of legislation, or should they be deferred?
   
   What should be the terms of any environmental MOU?
    
5. Defining an "auctionable subset" (Section 9, page 15).
   
   How might segments of PG&E’s system be divided?
   
   Is "watershed" an appropriate or sufficiently definitive unit?
   
   Are there related facilities in separate watersheds that should not be divided?
    
6. Appropriate criteria for competing proposals (Section 9, page 16).
   
   In what manner should competing proposals be required to match the material or financial obligations associated with "non-price" criteria?
   
   Which agreements have been executed? Which should be included in the proposal criteria?
    
7. "Going-forward" policies (Sections 10-12, pages 20-24).
   
   Should explicit policies be established to govern CPUC review of future hydro proposals?
   
   Should a watershed planning process be established to coordinate state and local participation in hydro operations and relicensing proceedings?
    
8. Findings language (Section 1, page 1).
    
9. Additional issues.