20250AB__246498AMD INTRODUCED 2026-02-20 AMENDED_ASSEMBLY 2026-03-26 2025 AB AMD Introduced by Assembly Member Wicks LEAD_AUTHOR ASSEMBLY Wicks

An act to add and repeal

Section of the Public Resources Code, relating to energy. energy Energy: firm zero-carbon resources.

Existing law requires the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission (Energy Commission), in consultation with the Public Utilities Commission (PUC), the Independent System Operator, and the State Air Resources Board, on or before December 31, 2023, to submit to the Legislature an assessment of the firm zero-carbon resources that support a clean, reliable, and resilient electrical grid in the state and will achieve the policy of the state that eligible renewable energy resources and zero-carbon resources supply 100% of all retail sales of electricity to the state’s end-use customers and 100% of electricity procured to serve all state agencies by December 31, 2045, as specified.

This bill would require the Energy Commission, working with the PUC, to prepare and submit to the Legislature, on or before January 1, 2028, a statewide assessment of the role and necessity of firm zero-carbon resources in meeting the state’s clean energy and reliability objectives, potential technologies and strategies for integrating firm zero-carbon resources into the state’s energy mix, recommendations on procurement, policy, and planning actions to deploy and support firm zero-carbon resources, and current and projected renewable and firm zero-carbon generation capacity, reliability requirements under varying system conditions, and the cost and emission implications of firm zero-carbon resources.

MAJORITY NO YES NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section is added to the Public Resources Code , to read: 25240. (

a) On or before January 1, 2028, the commission, working with the Public Utilities Commission, shall prepare and submit to the Legislature a statewide assessment of all of the following:

(1) The role and necessity of firm zero-carbon resources, as defined in

Section 25305.5, in meeting the state’s clean energy and reliability objectives.

(2) Potential technologies and strategies for integrating firm zero-carbon resources into the state’s energy mix.

(3) Recommendations on procurement, policy, safety, and planning actions to deploy and support firm zero-carbon resources, if deemed necessary.

(4) Current and projected renewable and firm zero-carbon generation capacity, reliability requirements under varying system conditions, and the cost and emission implications of firm zero-carbon resources. (b)

(1) The assessment to be submitted pursuant to subdivision (

a) shall be submitted in compliance with

Section of the Government Code.

(2) Pursuant to

Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, this

section is repealed on January 1, 2032. <caml:Num>SECTION 1.</caml:Num><caml:Content><xhtml:p>The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(a)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>The demand for energy across the country is skyrocketing, driven by electrification, the increasing reliance on digital platforms and cloud computing, and economic development.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(b)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>A substantial amount of new energy generation and transmission infrastructure is expected to be needed in the state to meet forecasted demand.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(c)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>California has established ambitious clean energy goals and relies heavily on renewable resources, such as solar and wind, and energy storage.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(d)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>To ensure grid reliability and meet clean energy targets, the state may require additional clean, firm resources that can provide dependable energy to better optimize integration of renewable resources and improve overall reliability.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(e)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>The state’s energy market now includes dozens of load-serving entities, including electrical corporations, community choice aggregators, and direct access providers, with each of these entities responsible for meeting resource adequacy requirements.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(f)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>This responsibility creates competition for multiple entities chasing the same renewable and storage projects, resulting in higher procurement costs.

In addition, fragmented procurement undermines economies of scale and complicates statewide reliability planning, potentially undermining the procurement of needed, but difficult to build, clean, firm resources.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(g)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>A statewide fact-based assessment of the types of resources needed to meet the needs of the state’s future energy grid would facilitate important and informed dialogue among state and local policymakers, regulators, and other stakeholder groups while maintaining the state’s position as a clean energy leader and growing the state’s economy for everyone.</xhtml:p></caml:Content></caml:BillSection><caml:BillSection id="id_AC041EDD-A72B-4663-B547-0F0A7C3192B2"><caml:Num>SEC. 2.</caml:Num><caml:ActionLine action="IS_ADDED" xlink:href="urn:caml:codes:PUC:caml#xpointer(%2Fcaml%3ALawDoc%2Fcaml%3ACode%2F%2Fcaml%3ALawSection%5Bcaml%3ANum%3D'913.7'%5D)" xlink:label="fractionType: LAW_SECTION" xlink:type="locator">Section 913.7 is added to the <caml:DocName>Public Utilities Code</caml:DocName>, to read:</caml:ActionLine><caml:Fragment><caml:LawSection id="id_F5A03966-A381-441B-B80A-40AD0683D636"><caml:Num>913.7.</caml:Num><caml:LawSectionVersion id="id_9398667A-6E3F-4480-8D85-5EC9C640149F"><caml:Content><xhtml:p>Notwithstanding

Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, on or before June 30, 2027, the commission, working with the Energy Commission, shall prepare and submit to the Legislature a statewide assessment of all of the following:</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(a)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>The role and necessity of clean, firm resources in meeting the state’s clean energy and reliability objectives.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(b)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>Potential technologies and strategies for integrating clean, firm resources into the state’s energy mix.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(c)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>Recommendations on procurement, policy, and planning actions to support clean, firm resources, if deemed necessary.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(d)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>Consideration of current and projected renewable and clean, firm generation capacity, reliability requirements under varying system conditions, and the cost and emission implications of clean, firm resources.</xhtml:p></caml:Content></caml:LawSectionVersion></caml:LawSection></caml:Fragment></caml:BillSection>"?>