Existing law vests the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) with regulatory authority over all public utilities, including electrical corporations. Existing law requires the CPUC, in consultation with the California Energy Commission (CEC), the State Air Resources Board (ARB), electrical corporations, and the motor vehicle industry, to evaluate policies to develop infrastructure sufficient to overcome any barriers to the widespread deployment and use of plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles (EVs). Existing law requires the CPUC, by December 31, 2020, to establish strategies and quantifiable metrics to maximize the use of feasible and cost-effective EV grid integration by January 1, 2030.
This bill would require the CPUC, in consultation with the CEC, the ARB, and California Integrated Travel Project, to require each electrical corporation, on or before July 1, 2024, to establish a Discounted Electric Vehicle Charging Payment Card Program that would enable an eligible resident, as defined, to use a publicly available EV charging station of a participating operator, located anywhere in the state, through a payment card developed by the electrical corporation in order to pay a rate equivalent to the rate that would be paid by the eligible resident if they were using an at-home EV charging station at their residence.
The bill would require the CPUC, on or before April 1, 2025, and annually thereafter, to prepare and submit to the Governor and the Legislature a written report on the programs. The bill would require the Low-Income Oversight Board to annually determine certain information and make recommendations related to the programs. The bill would require the CEC, on or before March 1, 2025, and annually thereafter, to prepare and submit to the CPUC a report that includes specified information relating to the programs. The bill would require the CPUC to include the Low-Income Oversight Board’s information and recommendations and the CEC’s report in the CPUC’s annual written report.
Committee Location: Held in Senate Appropriations Committee May 18, 2023.
Full bill text and related information.
