Existing law authorizes persons proposing eligible facilities, including electrical transmission lines carrying electricity from certain other facilities that are located in the state to a point of junction with any interconnected electrical transmission system, to file applications for certification, on or before June 30, 2029, with the California Energy Commission (CEC) to certify sites and related facilities. Under existing law, the CEC’s certification of sites and related facilities is in lieu of any permit, certificate, or similar document required by any state, local, or regional agency, or federal agency to the extent permitted by federal law, for the use of the sites and related facilities, and supersedes any applicable statute, ordinance, or regulation of any state, local, or regional agency, or federal agency to the extent permitted by federal law, except as specified.
Existing law imposes various requirements on these sites and related facilities certified by the CEC, including a requirement that applicants certify that a skilled and trained workforce will be used to perform all construction work on the project. Existing law deems the sites and related facilities certified by the CEC as environmental leadership development projects.
This bill would expand the facilities eligible to be certified by the commission to include electrical transmission lines carrying electricity from certain other facilities that are located in the state, regardless of whether the electricity is carried to a point of junction with any interconnected electrical transmission system. The bill would require the CEC to give priority to applications for those eligible electrical transmission facilities if the applicant certifies that a capital investment of at least $250,000,000 will be made over a period of 5 years.
Full bill text and related information.
