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Operator: Commission public voting meeting
on this day Thursday, July 16 2020.
Today's call is being recorded.
if you have any objections you may disconnect at this time.
President Batjer you may proceed.
-: Thank you operator and good morning everyone.
We need to first establish a quorum will the agenda clerk
please call the roll.
Clerk: For Commission meeting 3465 July 16.
Commissioner Shiroma.
-: Present.
Clerk: Commissioner Guzman Aceves.
-: Here.
Clerk: Commissioner Randolph.
-: I'm here.
Clerk: Commissioner Rechtschaffen.
-: Present.
Clerk: President Batjer.
-: Here.
Thank you a quorum has been established.
Welcome to the California Public Utilities Commission.
I'm calling this meeting of July 16, 2020.
Public agenda number 3465 to order.
In March, Governor Gavin Newsom issued a stay at home order
to protect the health and wellbeing of all Californians
and to establish consistency across the state
in order to slow the spread of COVID-19.
As such, we're conducting today's business meeting online
and by remote participation.
This meeting is live streamed and on the CPUC's website.
You can view the meeting at www.adminmonitor
all one word
.com hashtag not hashtag,
backslash ca backlash cpuc.
Public engagement is critical to the CPUC process.
If you wish to make a public comment,
dial into 800-857-1917
and enter passcode 9899501.
Let me repeat that.
Dial into 800-857-1917
and enter passcode 9899501
and press the *1.
You will be placed into a queue and the operator
will take your name and organization.
If there is a slight delay from the time you press *1
to the time the operator asks for your information.
Please be patient and stay on the line.
You will be called upon to speak
when we get to the public comment period in today's agenda.
Email comments received will be distributed
to the Commissioner and to senior management.
Many of you have read or seen the news
about the recent spike in
the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in California,
as well as other parts of the country.
As of Sunday, the rate of positive tests
over the last 14 days is about 7% in California.
Just this morning, I'm sure many of you heard on the news
that Johns Hopkins announced
it's just in the last five days 400,000 positive diagnoses
have occurred in the United States.
And we have reached so sadly 137,000 deaths.
The upward trend of confirmed cases is so worrisome,
and so depressing.
On Monday, Governor Newsom announced
the closure of indoor operations
for certain business sectors,
and the closure of both indoor and outdoor operations
for bars and similar establishment.
Last month, the California Department of Public Health
issued a statewide order to wear a face covering
in most situations outside of the home
in order to protect the health of oneself and others.
A range of new research on face coverings
shows that the risk of infection
to the wearer is decreased by 65%.
The use of face coverings combined with physical distancing
and frequent hand washing will reduce
the spread of COVID-19.
The threat of COVID-19 is very real
and until there is a vaccine,
I fear we have to be extremely smart
and continue to wear cloth covering or mask
when six feet of distance cannot be maintained.
Practice physical distancing,
wash hands with soap and water for a minimum of 20 seconds.
Do it frequently.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands.
And to the extent possible,
stay home except for essential needs and activities.
We will now turn to the public comment portion
of our agenda.
The Commission provides two minutes to each speaker
you will hear a bell sound when your time is up.
To make telephonic public comments,
you may dial 800-857-1917
and enter the passcode 9899501
and press *1.
If you are experiencing difficulty
with getting into the public comment queue,
please email us at all one word
votingmeetingheld@cpuc.ca.gov.
The operator will call your name
when it is time for you to speak.
You will hear a bell sound when your time is up.
Please be mindful of the other people waiting in the queue
to provide public comment.
Your cooperation will help us ensure
that everyone gets their turn to share their comments
with the Commissioners.
The CPUC rules do not allow for parties in proceedings
to speak about open proceedings.
The public can make comments addressing items
on the consent and regular agenda
and including items not on the agenda.
Please note that there will not be public comments
on items 25, 27, 49
and any item on the closed session agenda.
With that guidance in mind, I will welcome today's speaker.
Now turn to the operator to open the public telephone line.
Operator?
Operator: Thank you.
The public comment is now open.
If you wish to speak during the public comment period,
press *1, unmute your phone
and clearly record your name and organization when prompted.
Our first caller is Jennifer Tanner
with Indivisible California, you may go ahead.
Jennifer: Thank you and thank you President Batjer
and the CPUC for allowing us to make public comments.
Well, we're disappointed with
the massive approval of diesel powered microgrid.
I agree with Fran Pavley in her recent article,
that that continues to give PG&E another break
that hurts everyone else.
We also reject the tired argument of cost shifting.
It's a utility argument that falls flat.
The reality is the cost shifts are based on policy decisions
made by the CPUC like the PCIA, centralized procurement,
transmission access charge et cetera.
These are in direct opposition to state climate
and de-carbonisation objectives.
The argument falls even flatter when you consider the cost
for disadvantaged communities of fires, pollution and PSPS,
all of which are exacerbated
by not choosing renewable energy.
Going instead to diesel powered microgrid,
hurts the environment and has no future benefit.
Wasting that investment,
but benefiting the utilities profit margin,
as it is only used a few days a year,
but permits slow cost recovery.
Local renewables benefit much more than that.
We reject that there are no other alternatives
for this emergency.
We all know there are readily available.
SB 1339 was intended to remove the barriers
to community microgrid development.
It's been hijacked by the utilities.
We believe the CPUC should allow some over defense projects
because we are in an emergency plain and simple.
Thank you for letting me comment.
Clerk: Thank you Miss Tanner.
-: Operator, next caller please.
Operator: Our next caller is with from Jim Stewart,
and he is as a rate payer, so you may go ahead.
Jim: Hi, this is Jim Stewart,
I wanna say that all five of you Commissioners
should be embarrassed.
You've put millions of Californians at risk,
because you failed to ensure that PG&E
should immediately install arc interrupters
and other technology in all fire danger areas.
And of course, as you know, San Diego Gas and Electric
has already done that.
You should ensure that PG&E does that.
You should also immediately fix your bad decision
regarding microgrids.
Your clearly failing to do your part
in climate and pollution reduction
as Fran Pavley pointed out in the Sacramento Bee
and I also want to support the Jennifer Tanner's saying that
you've got to allow microgrids.
I mean, here we are shutting off the power
and police and fire stations and city halls
in these communities can't even establish
a mic common microgrid so they can keep functioning
during the shut offs, because you don't allow a microgrid
to go over property lines are over the street.
You can fix this.
Don't embarrass us anymore by this inaction.
Clerk: Thank you Mr. Stewart.
Operator next caller please.
Operator: Our next caller is Laura Rosenberger Hyder
with Residents against fracking.
Ma'am you may go ahead.
Laura: Hello please replace the backup diesel generators
with electric or hydrogen cell generators.
And community microgrid development
should not be constrained by the restrictions
imposed by PUC to a team.
Any approved project which contributes to local resilience
should be included in
the Local Resource Adequacy consideration.
Removes the barriers to community microgrid development
by crossing the boundaries of properties or roads,
barriers to low costs on bill financing
and not enough insurance options.
Better access to customer information
for all locally distributed generation will help
and utilities should modify their infrastructure
to accommodate local renewable to get the benefits
of like, less use of lines for the microgrids don't use
so much transmission line and the transmission excess charge
at PCIA hurts the CCA and the CCA is unnecessary
to do the microgrids and many of them have chances
of offering 100% renewable and we have the choice of taking
that 100% renewable energy.
Thank you.
-: Thank you very much.
Operator, the next caller please.
Operator: Our next caller is Chuck Roselle
and he's a member of the public.
Roselle you may go ahead.
Chuck: Thank you very much.
In a recent op-ed in the July 11 edition
of the Sacramento Bee, Fran Pavley contrasted
the CPU decision implementing diesel powered microgrids
with that of card which has given diesel truck manufacturers
a clear deadline for removing diesel powered vehicles
from their fleet.
It highlighted the power of California regulators
to change industry behavior.
It's been noted the diesel is necessary because
there are no immediaetly available clean alternatives.
It is also been noted there're restrictions
upon third party microgrids deployment are necessary
to limit cost shifting.
I would like to offer a different interpretation.
These decisions are actually driven by policy choice.
Several recent CPUC workshop participants
presented diesel alternatives,
including one which has been successfully utilized
in Delaware for over five years.
The CPUC could also choose to require the utilities
to reduce their own costs in order to promote the transition
to microgrid deployment.
Indeed, recent events highlight the current CPUC policy
is empower the utilities to over invest on economic
and inefficient power choices and under invest
in the infrastructure.
CPUC is now making decisions to provide
California ratepayers with the benefits of microgrids.
California has a disproportionate number of innovative firms
distributed developing distributed resource solutions
and the strongest network
of locally directed energy service organizations
in the nation.
Proper policy choices could empower the resources
to create reduced dependency upon transmission,
increased resiliency, lowered energy peaks,
wider adoption of EDs and de-carbonisation of
the as broken infrastructure.
I urge the CPUC to accelerate the use of
these alternate resources in order to focus refocus
the utilities towards strengthening the state grid.
Thank you for the opportunity to speak.
-: Thank you very much.
Operator the next caller please.
Operator: And before we go to the next caller,
if you wish to speak during the public comment period,
please press *1, unmute your phone
and clearly provide your name and organization
when prompted.
Our next caller is Ben Schwartz with Clean Coalition.
So you may go ahead.
Ben: Hi, thank you for the opportunity,
good morning Commissioners and President Batjer.
The main reason that I'm commenting today is to request that
the Commission hold to center agenda item 34 and 35,
which is compensation denial for the Clean Coalition
for failure to demonstrate eligibility
to claim intervener compensation.
And the reason I'm requesting that the Commission hold
this item is that the Clean Coalition currently has
an application for rehearing that's pending based on
an alternate proposed decision from last year.
And so we request that the Commission hold this until
that is properly heard and there's a decision on that.
And the second aspect is essentially changing the way
that voices are heard.
There are a multitude of voices that inform the IOU
and work hard at the Commission and are denied compensation
for one reason or another.
But the end result is for nonprofit like the Clean Coalition
so many others, that ends up pushing them out of the room
and silencing the voices that are informing the process.
And that leads to the IOUs having a larger
than necessary share of what happens in the policy series.
And the policy changes that are made.
And if the Commission values the voices that are heard
and actually having stakeholder participation from all walks
of society involved in these OIRs and policy changes,
then it's really essential to create a system
that allows nonprofits ratepayers,
and other stakeholder groups to participate
and to get some sort of compensation to deem
the contributions that they've made to be working.
(bell rings) Thank you.
-: Thank you, Mr. Schwartz.
Operator, the next caller, please.
Operator: Our next caller is Ken Jones with 350 Bay Area,
you may go ahead.
Ken: Good morning President Batjer and Commissioners.
Am Ken Jones with 350 Bay Area,
a group that sees the climate emergency
as the existential issue of our time.
President Batjer I do feel there are some times
or there a different feel to the CPUC.
But since you, I've been here a year
I'm going to comment on what hasn't happened
as near as I can tell.
Keep in mind that the failure of the governor
and its energy staff to take climate breakdown seriously
and along with the legislature,
hiding behind the COVID crisis,
is the reason they can't focus on energy
makes things difficult for the CPUC and all of us.
That said, though, what is lacking at the CPUC is a vision.
Many of us heard that President Batjer you were picked
by the governor in order to change the way the CPUC
does its business.
That does not necessarily mean a new vision though.
Former President Picker had one, he thought that the CCA's
were a collectivist plot of some kind.
It was disorganized and threaten the stability provided
by the centralized investor on utilities.
He was worried about burnouts that could happen
as it did in the energy crisis 20 years ago.
Out of that vision, we got huge fires (indistinct)
that we're not being overseen well and power shut off.
So today, what does the CPUC see
the California energy system looking like in five years
or maybe in those eight or nine we have left
before it is too late to stop the climate disasters
from just getting continually worse.
The difference in atmosphere between the CPUC often thought
of as arcane and the CEC which oversees
our municipal utilities, which in the way they're run,
the CCAs are much more alike, and the CPUC was on display
in last week's workshops where leadership of both agencies
were participating.
Almost felt like CEC leadership was trying to model
a creative approach to energy thinking outside the box,
in the panelists they chose and their comment.
But the response from CPUC leadership was
but we have to stick to our old concepts and worry about
the budgets of the IOUs.
Way too often in rule making after rule making the response
to new ideas is we can't find it in the record
or let's have a workshop and let the uncooperative utilities
work it out with the other parties
and see the joint utilities comments listened to more
than all the others wanting change even though
you have to know the IOUs are concerned
first about their shareholders.
That is how it feels to us we are that are trying
to create a new climate emergency goal focused direction
that comes up with the big changes we need to keep the costs
of what we aren't doing from shifting on to
in the short years we have left all living things.
Thank you.
-: Thank you, appreciate your comments.
Operator, could you call the next caller.
Operator: Thank you.
Our next caller is Audrey Ichinose with CACE.
Your line is open ma'am.
Audrey: Thank you.
My name is Audrey Ichinose
and I'm a community and energy advocate living in
South Berkeley bordering on Oakland and I'm a member of
the California Alliance for Community Energy
and the East Bay Clean Power Alliance.
Thanks for the opportunity to speak I appreciate being able
to address the Commissioners directly.
Now that we are committed for a year of wildfire mitigation,
with blunt and outmoded tools,
especially the use of diesel generators.
I hope that the Commission is thinking
about next year's fire season already
and how to foster local microgrids,
which I believe is the best tool to
not only secure emergency services and the safety
of vulnerable populations,
but also to avoid the painful losses for local industries
and businesses that in many cases exceed have exceeded
the higher mitigation costs to the incumbent utilities.
I hope that the Commission will learn powerful support
in the coming year to the development of the local microgrid
and I'd like to cite two ways they could do so.
One is by removing utility obstructions to customer account
and load information.
And this is where the building out
of local microgrids start.
So that's very important and also this generally limiting
the necessary utility involvement locally
to grid connections.
They have a tendency to encroach locally
and being the organizations that they are,
they're hard to defend against.
So those are two things that I hope the Commission
will keep in mind in the coming year.
We don't have much type until the 2021 fire season starts
and of course referring to our--
(bell rings) Thank you very much.
-: Thank you very much.
Operator the next caller please.
Operator: Thank you and again,
if you would like to ask a question,
please unmute your phone, press *1
and record your first and last name and organization clearly
when prompted so it may introduce you.
Again to make a comment, press *1.
Our next caller is Lizzie Purcell,
a member of the public, you may go ahead, ma'am.
Lizzie: Hi, can you hear me?
-: Yes, we can.
Lizzie: Thank you.
I'd like to support the microgrid idea
that would use local solar and renewable energy
with battery storage as opposed to diesel
and I think there's a lot of availability for solar
on parking lots and many, many commercial
and municipal buildings that is just not being used.
The second thing I'd like to talk about is SoCal Gas,
which has a storage field in Playa del Rey.
And we understand under the Ballona Wetlands Restoration EIR
it for wells were leaking
we'd like to know which wells those are
and we need in more information on these well losses
and leakage from storage fields.
I have seen an old document
that reference six different fields,
including Playa del Rey and Aliso Canyon,
and that there were losses from both the wells
and the storage field itself.
Now we have a lot have abandoned wells in old oil wells
in the Ballona Wetlands area and we're very concerned
that these gases are still escaping.
We would like to see some kind of study done on this
or documents if there are as to the amount of leakage of gas
and what is being done to mitigate and address these issues
because this is a real concern.
We're trying to do conservation and protection of
the Ballona Wetlands which the public acquired
for wildlife habitat and also for public enjoyment.
We need to know the status of this Playa del Rey,
SoCal Gas storage field
how much gas leaking (bell rings)
and what could be done about that, thank you.
-: Thank you.
Operator the next caller, please.
Operator: I have no callers in queue at this time.
-: (indistinct) operator please make an announcement
and make sure everyone knows how to get online?
Operator: Yes, if you would like
to make a public comment, please unmute your phone,
press *1 and record your first and last name clearly
when prompted so I may introduce you.
Please stand by for our next question.
-: I believe there's one more caller
in the queue now operator?
Robert: Hallo President Batjer this is Robert Stanford.
I see one more caller queued up.
The operator will announce him.
-: Thank you, Robert. operator.
Operator: Our next caller Claire Broome,
member of the public.
You may go ahead.
Claire: Good morning, President Batjer
and Commissioners.
My name is Claire Broome.
I'm an adjunct professor of Public Health
and live in Berkeley.
I am calling because I think we are all aware that
the climate crisis is bearing down on us
and you have a critical role to play in assuring
that California leads and addressing the climate crisis.
The primary objective I think, the PUC should be pursuing
is accelerating clean energy on the distribution grid.
And I congratulate President Batjer and Commissioner Shiroma
for their active participation in the microgrid workshop
with the CEC last week.
I think that shows your understanding of the importance
of microgrids.
That's part of clean energy on the distribution grid.
But we also need to pay attention to
in front of the meter wholesale distribution.
Another way of getting increasing amounts of clean energy
on the distribution grid, in addition of course
to behind the meter, DVR.
Now, it's great being in the workshop
but I think as President Batjer has indicated,
the PUC needs to take a deeper look at increased flexibility
and working across silos to make this happen.
Let me give you some specific areas
that I think are currently handled inappropriately
by the PUC.
Specifically, your cost accounting you look primarily
from the perspective of the investor owned utilities
and that's important, but what about for ratepayers?
When you have local clean energy,
you avoid long distance transmission.
This is an enormous, increasing part of the bill
and is a huge benefit to local ratepayers.
Secondly, the value of resilience with PSPS
and the kind of wildfire threats,
local clean energy value (bell rings)
for local resilience.
I implore you not to do business as usual,
and to address our climate crisis with all the tools
and flexibility you can, thank you.
-: Thank you, Miss Broome.
Operator are there any other callers on the line
at this time?
Operator: Impressive Betjer I have no more speakers
on the public comment telephone line but as again
as a reminder if you would like to make a comment,
please press *1, unmute your phone
and provide your name and organization.
So I may introduce you, again *1.
-: Will just wait a minute to see if there's anybody else
that joins us.
(indistinct)
Operator: have a caller coming into the queue right now,
one moment.
-: Thank you.
Operator do you wanna announce the caller?
Operator: Yes our next caller is Jennifer Tanner,
you may go ahead.
Jennifer: Yes, I've already spoken but since there seems
to be some opportunity, can I have another 20,30 seconds?
-: Yes, you may of course.
Jennifer: All right thank you so much.
I just heard yesterday the unfortunate news
that Assemblyman Holden decided that microgrid bills
are no longer important this year,
because the CPUC has it handled
so that all five microgrid bills that are
in a legislature right now,
he will not hear in his committee.
He made that unilateral decision
because the CPUC has it handled.
So you're basically all that we have to do anything
about microgrids this year,
as opposed to waiting an entire new year.
And that's why everyone I think on this call is saying
please do something more than what we're doing.
That's what I wanted to say.
Thank you.
-: Thank you Miss Tanner, appreciate that.
There anybody else on the line or into?
Operator: President Batjer there are no more participants
on the public comment telephone line at this time.
-: Okay, thank you operator.
With no more callers on the line,
the public comment period is now closed.
Thank you very much everyone who participated.
Yes, excuse me, Commissioner Shiroma?
-: Thank you, President Batjer and with your indulgence,
I just wanted to say that on microgrids,
there is an August 5 workshop to launch the truck
to phase the microgrids proceeding.
We also anticipate a second workshop devoted entirely
to alternatives to diesel backup generation later in August.
Thank you for your indulgence on me now say that.
-: Thank you very much, Commissioner Shiroma
for making that announcement.
I think it will be very important and we look forward
to thorough and participation from the public.
These are very important matters to us
and I very much personally look forward
to additional solutions.
Hearing about additional solutions to the diesel situation.
So thank you, Commissioner shiroma.
Okay, moving on then are there any other
okay see no hands raised by my fellow Commissioners.
I will move now to item two on today's meeting agenda
was subject to a rate setting deliberative meeting and RDM,
and a hold to the August 6 voting meeting
has been requested and granted.
As a result, this item will be subject
to a default ex parte quiet period pursuant
to the public utilities Code Section 1701.3h6.
This item may be subject to additional quiet time
if the Commission chooses
to extended the default quiet time.
The default quiet time is as follows.
No oral or written ex parte communications will be allowed
from August 3, 2020 to the end of
the August 6, 2020 voting meeting.
If the Commission establishes additional quiet time,
or this item, oral and written ex parte communications
will be restricted during that additional quiet time.
This time is held again.
If this item is held again, the Commission will continue
to have the ability to establish
further ex parte quiet period.
So let me repeat, no oral or written ex parte communications
will be allowed from August 3, 2020
to the end of the August 6, 2020 voting Meeting.
Okay, moving forward.
Here are the changes to today's voting.
Excuse me, here's the changes to today's meeting agenda.
Item two be held to August 6, Commission meeting.
Item three will be held to the August 27,
Commission meeting.
Item four will be held to the August 6, Commission meeting.
Items 13 will be taken up with our regular agenda today.
Item 15 will be held to the August 6, voting meeting.
Item 25 will be held also to the August 6, voting meeting.
And then item 33 will be held to the August 6,
voting meeting.
Item 46 has been withdrawn.
Item 50 will be taken up with the consent agenda.
At the request of staff
and I from the Dias today
will ask that we also hold item 16.
So I will add that to the list of items.
All right.
We have I will need a vote on the consent items.
Is there a motion?
So moved.
Is there a second?
-: Second.
-: Thank you, we have a motion and a second
for the consent agenda items.
Agenda clerk please call the roll.
Clerk: Commissioner shiroma.
-: I.
Clerk: Commissioner Guzman Aceves.
-: I.
-: Commissioner Randolph.
-: Yes.
Clerk: Commissioner Rechtchaffen.
-: Yes.
Clerk: President Batjer.
-: Yes.
The vote is unanimous, thank you.
Now, Commissioner Guzman Aceves would like to make comments
or remarks on item nine, which is
the automatic enrollment of disadvantaged communities,
green care of customers.
And then after Commissioner Guzman Aceves
will turn to Commissioner Rechtschaffen.
Please go ahead Commissioner Guzman Aceves.
Guzman: Thank you, President Batjerr.
And I will also be making a short comment
on the item 24 as well.
-: Oh, okay fine.
-: Sorry about that talk about item nine.
Some of you may be familiar with this program
was we voted out two years ago.
This was one of the measures
we took in implementing legislation
for a rate reform legislation from many years ago,
and it it charged us with looking at benefits
for disadvantaged communities and low income communities
from distributed solar.
And at the time, we looked at many things related
to NEM and potentially even a virtual NEM structure,
but we ended up setting up
a couple of few different programs.
One of them is this program,
the disadvantaged Community Green Tariff program.
And what it is essentially is that it provides
it requires a certain amount of megawatts for the utilities
to build distributed solar projects
in disadvantaged communities.
And then it assigns those benefits of the clean energy
to low income households in disadvantaged communities.
And PG&E really wanted knowledge they stepped up
in a couple of ways.
One is they said, we have the existing small solar projects.
And by small I mean less than, like 20 megawatts
that currently exist a handful of them really,
that exists already and are in disadvantaged communities.
And so they have the ability to expedite
the signing of the discount of this clean energy.
And the beauty of the program is it assigned
a specific discount of 20% on the bill.
As you know, we've been dealing
with many consumer fraud issues in the NEM program,
where people end up paying more than before they had.
So this was a program that really looked at
a guaranteed savings for low income customers,
and a way to really pull the projects
that didn't have to be on rooftops.
So this could benefit renters, it could benefit people
that didn't have the right infrastructure.
Fast forward now about eight months ago,
PG&E also was very involved like many of the utilities
and many of the stakeholders and parties
in the disconnections proceeding,
and then the disconnection is proceeding.
Many organizations local and statewide asked
that we prioritize our existing programs,
be it care of 10 of our bread and butter programs, the ISA,
but also our other incentive programs,
SGIP, NEM, you know, and particularly this program,
the DAC-GT program to really target these customers
that deal with chronic disconnections.
And so this is essentially effectuating that recommendation
by saying that we're PG&E has submitted you know,
this process that they will use to really prioritize
for communities and it's not any communities
is not aware of its some of those poverty pockets
with chronic disconnection in Fresno, Bakersfield, Stockton
were said there's a little less than 20,000 households there
will be captured by this particular seven megawatts
about 18500 and so this is going to auto enroll them
in this benefits.
And I really wanna thank PG&E for doing the legwork
to really identify these households.
So it cuts out kind of some of what we see
in many of our programs where people, you know, inevitably
having an enrollment process that burdens the customer
for even knowing about the program,
making sure they have the right evidence
that they're eligible for the program and things like that.
So the utilization of auto enrollment
really get the benefit going quicker.
And obviously, needless to say, with COVID,
these communities are overly burdened as they are
if this benefit comes at a much needed time.
So with that, I do wanna thank folks in energy division,
ALJ Division, Judge Doherty for really putting this on
his heavy plate that he has already,
Nora Hopkins who's working on this,
in her previous assignment,
Janell Sue who worked with us on the disconnection side,
and of course my advisors, Sarah Sharpe and Maria Sotero.
And ironically another issue item 24,
that I that also fits within this bigger
realm of issues dealing with distributed solar.
This was a case that was brought forward to us
to some of the members of the task force
the solar consumer protection Task Force.
A woman in Bakersfield, who had been paid for her
solar project that was never actually connected.
She actually was one of these predatory paste contracts
that she got, she actually signed up for paste
the month before the city of Bakersfield voted to ban paste.
She and it's just one of these egregious cases, you know
and by the way with this resolution,
we're just dealing with getting the solar connected.
So at least she benefits from the solar generation
and the NEM.
We're not dealing with the the pace element of that
that's vbios jurisdiction.
But it's just
that I wanna really highlight the amount of engagement
that is really needed to house follow up on some of
these fraudulent cases and the role that we play in ensuring
that these customers are really remedied.
So this resolution is really basic and allowing the rules
at the time to apply for her to be able to interconnect.
So there's, you know, there's many more cases
just this week, we've heard of two additional cases.
It's just been a tough week to really juxtapose the
some of the companies whose CEOs are now on
the top 10 billionaires in the world and some of these cases
were customers one of the customers has been disconnected
for a month because he was unable to pay his true up
and this these are you know customer not (indistinct)
not wealthy by any means low income customers.
So, anyhow we have a lot of work to do.
I'm very glad, am very thankful for Elizabeth Dorman
from legal who took the time to draft this resolution
and for Chris Wessling, in energy division have helped
with all the all of the logistics for getting it to
this place as well.
So, thank you very much for for the support of helping
these particular customers and just want to highlight
that we have continued work to do on
the NEM Consumer Protection side, Thank you.
-: Thank you, Commissioner Guzman Aceves very much
it's very helpful.
I believe that Commissioner Rechtschaffen
would like to make a comment on item 22.
-: No, actually item 19 I think it's item 19,
the resolution for E5086 proving PG&E, SGIP marketing,
education and outreach plan and that financing pilot,
which we just voted for.
-: Thank you for correcting me.
That's correct item 19, thank you for correction.
-: Okay yeah, sure of course.
The resolution does two things that I wanna highlight.
It approves an outreach plan from PG&E for
the equity and equity resiliency incentives
that we've authorized under the SGIP program
over the past year, and it will focus outreach
to organizations that work with access
and functional needs customers, customers with disabilities,
and disaster relief organization.
For these organizations PG&E will offer
a customer recruitment incentive of $300 per customer
who applies and is eligible for energy storage incentive
in the SGIP equity resiliency budget.
Again, this is the budget targeted
and our most disadvantaged needy customers
in high fire threat areas, or areas that have been impacted
by PSPS events.
So very important that we target outreach at the community's
most in need of the assistance.
Second, in this resolution, we approved a financing pilot
from PG&E that will modify The current rule
are providing incentive payments after storage systems
are installed.
So, instead of that in this pilot, PG&E will pay 50%
of the incentive upfront after the application accepted.
And again, this is for in the equity budget
and the equity resilience budget for those customers
who are enrolled in medical baseline
or have notified utility of a life threatening condition
without electricity, again in those situations,
PG&E will pay the money upfront that we can get
the assistance to the customers as soon as possible.
The final 50% will be paid after the installation
of the storage system.
And one final important twist on that this is something
we did in response to comments,
as well for a customer who received
this 50% upfront payment.
The developer cannot require a customer to pay any
out of pocket costs before the final incentive payment
is received.
This will help remedy the problem
that some of our neediest customers can't afford
to make any upfront payment, thank you.
-: Thank you, Commissioner Rechtschaffen very helpful.
Do any of the other Commissioners have any comments
to make on the consent agenda?
Okay, seeing none.
We will now move to the regular agenda.
The first item on the regular agenda is item 13
and that is assigned to me.
Item search team it is
a decision adopting wireless provider resiliency strategies
affects over hundreds of thousands of Californians
who were already impacted by the power shut off
were forced to evacuate their homes
as the Kincade fire burned uncontrolled.
In moments like these Californians rely on their cell phones
to receive alerts from emergency responders
and access vital evacuation websites.
Wireless service plays an essential role in the delivery
of public safety services, distribution of emergency alerts,
and particularly access to 911 where in 2019,
88% of the 911 calls were delivered over wireless networks.
Losing a critical Lifeline during
these ever increasing times of emergency is not acceptable.
It is dangerous and distressing for the public
and it cripples the effort of the emergency responders
to coordinate disaster response and evacuation.
Today's decision creates a framework to ensure
that wireless networks will provide reliable access
to 911 and 211, emergency alerts
and crucial internet services there are so very critical
to the public safety and well being in times of disaster.
This decision requires wireless service providers
to develop comprehensive communications resiliency plans
to ensure necessary planning and network investments
are made to maintain service during a disaster
or power outage.
It further adopts a 72 hour backup power requirement
the wireless providers to ensure a minimum level of service
and coverage is maintained during the disaster
and power outages in the tier two
and tier three high fire threat districts.
The it further directs wireless providers to improve
their coordination with emergency response agencies
by sharing their emergency points of contact,
performing annual emergency preparedness exercises
and sharing their disaster response plans
with the emergency response agencies.
In a future decision, we will consider
resiliency requirements for the wireline providers.
I'd like to thank the parties to this proceeding.
For their detailed comments, which were extremely helpful.
I'd like to thank Helen Mickiewicz for all of her wisdom,
and help and Lindsay Brown in the legal division,
administrative judge Collin Rizzo has just been fantastic
and ever so energetic and thorough,
and my advisor Michael Maloney, who has worked so very hard
on this proceeding.
So thank you all very, very much.
And I asked for the approval and support of this item
for my fellow Commissioners.
So thank you and well now,
come back for item 13.
I need to have the agenda clerk, please call the roll.
Operator: Excuse me, I think we have some comments.
-: I'm sorry (chuckles) I've got so enthusiastic
about my own NEM item.
I think Commission Rechtschaffen hand up first
and then Commissioner Shiroma.
-: I don't know if one hand was up first.
But I understand why you're ethusiastic
on certainly supporting this decision,
and I appreciate your extremely hard work.
It's a very challenging but important proceeding
and it's, it underscores that not just
the energy utility who need to prepare for wildfires
and PSPS events but is President Batjer as you said,
it's critical that our communication providers
be very well prepared and better than they have been.
I wanna comment just on one issue which came up
in the context of our comments,
a lot of our public comments today
in the context of the microgrid proceeding,
but it was raised here as well.
And that's the issue of providing backup generation
that is clean rather than that relies on on fossil fuels.
We know that as we, the need for backup power
is gonna increase.
It's not tenable to continue to rely on diesel generation
or gas generation it doesn't comport
with any of our environmental or climate goals.
And while today's decision allows the wireless providers
to use fossil generators for backup in the short term,
that's not our long term objective or strategy
and going forward, they will be required to annual report
on the backup generation plan.
Clean the GHG emissions from will the generators
they've used in the past,
their efforts to develop cooperative agreements
with utilities and market developers,
and a timeline an approximate timeline
of when they anticipate a transition to renewable generation
for backup power.
We should be unmistakably clear
this is the past we expect, anticipate,
and will work very hard to make happen.
I would have liked us to go further.
Somewhat disappointed we couldn't.
We did hear from some fuel cell providers
and other market players
that they've deployed backup solutions elsewhere.
But we really did not have enough of a record
in this time frame to impose stronger requirements.
And we also very importantly needed to act right away
because the fire season tier,
we needed these baseline requirements in place.
This is an iterative process, so we need to do more,
or current energy backup power industry is vibrant
and growing and the telco industry,
as they tell us very very regularly is at the forefront
of innovation.
They're developing cutting edge services all the time.
We hope and expect them to apply their ingenuity
to collaborate with
the growing renewable backup power industry
and develop strategies to quickly move away
from fossil fuel backup generation, thank you.
-: Thank you, Commissioner Rechtschaffen
and I wholeheartedly agree I've had made my comments known,
I think to all the telcos the disappointment that
we do not have the kind of backup clean backup path,
backup power that we need.
And we look very much forward to the 2021 season
looking different than the 2020 season
and one of our public commenters also mentioned that
and technology is bettering every day.
We look forward to the time on our backup path.
Our backup power is all clean.
And I think we've made that rather clear
in this proposed decision,
as well as in the microgrid decision,
and I look forward again to that workshop.
And really pressing the companies on making sure that
as you said they're becoming far more innovative
and challenging them to get
to a much better and sooner faster, cleaner backup.
So thanks and I think
Commissioner Shiroma you have a comment to make?
-: Yes, thank you, President Batger.
I wanted to thank you and your team
for the continued leadership
in aquiring California's wireless providers
to develop this comprehensive resiliency
and overall for safety strategies in preparation
for catastrophic disasters power outages.
And I also express my things to to Judge Colin Rizzo,
your advisor, Michael Mulvaney, communications division
and the teams at the city, the interdivisional teams
at the CPUC and putting forth this proposed decision,
as you indicated, in times of disasters and outages,
consumers must rely on their wireless and wireline devices
to make emergency calls and receive
the most current information and as you indicated
the experience from
the California Office of Emergency Services
on the 911 calls 88% of those came from wireless devices
now it is imperative because that very trend.
Historically, back in the day before mobile devices,
we all relied on the wireline phone service,
but we've seen that trend go from wire line to wireless,
over 45 million customers, are wireless subscribers
under 14 million are wireline.
This is really important for consumers participating
in our phone or discount phone service,
the lifeline program.
Lifeline customers also reside in the tier two
and tier three fire zones.
And in California is earthquake country.
The customers are dependent on reliable cellphone service
in times of emergencies and need to get through to 911
as well.
So I'm glad to support the proposed decision
as others have said, as you President Batjer is workshop
and him indicated, the backup power requirements
are essential.
We are looking forward in our mystic on a renewable auction
going into the 2021 season,
the workshop that currently is through the microgrids
proceeding will amplify on your proceeding here.
And also I'm hopeful that it will really set the leadership
for the because there is a lot of diesel backup generation
been used all over California,
for my hospitals and so forth and so on.
I'm hopeful that the information that we glean
from the alternative to diesel workshop will show leadership
and inform beyond our own CPUC activities.
So thank you very much.
-: Thank you Commissioner Shiroma.
Yes, Commissioner Guzman Aceves.
-: Thank you, President Batjer and thank you very much
for a tremendous work and really balanced decision
that we have here.
I know that we just we know very well
that having cellular communication is really saving lives
at the most essential element we have seen this
both in terms of being able to know your exit route,
or where you can go for emergency services.
The amount of leadership that was shown in some of the fires
in particular was great in some areas,
but not across the board.
And share me with some of the shut offs that we saw
the discrepancy again.
So I think this is just a real basic threshold
of what we expect from this sub sector
of the telecommunications industry.
And nearly everyone having to play a role
in being more prepared for what we have to deal with here
in our climate reality and our preparedness
in particularly in the next 10 years as we really adjust
to the infrastructure upgrades that are needed.
I wanted to also recognize that the retention
of the basic data components,
so we're not just talking about the ability to call 911
but we're talking about the ability to receive those alerts.
You know, just as we sit here, I received an alert
from the governor's New Order
and how it implicates Sacramento County on COVID.
Having you know, all the social media networks
that are used, providing customers and Californians.
This information be it as you know, during many of
the events, Twitter was used as a main source
of information so a basic necessity for that
internet data service is such a key component,
and it's something we're gonna am sure I have to monitor
to ensure that that is provided to all Californians
during these disasters and emergency times.
The other thing I really appreciate is that
local coordination that you mentioned,
I know we've talked before about Lake County.
Incidentally, we received another letter from them
I know we'll be discussing on preparedness
for these next few months coming up here.
And, you know, Lake County had this just unique experience,
where their wastewater facility had the back of generation
that the signal they sent to the gate and that gate,
didn't have the telecommunications backup.
And so even though the facility to engineering,
the gate to a powered the communication need that was needed
to send the gate, the signal to close was not.
And so there was a sewer spill due
to a lack of telecommunications backup.
And that really takes local planning.
It takes the local carriers to be familiar with
that critical infrastructure to know these individualized
on necessities and so the criticalness of being in touch
with the communities that you serve,
with the local emergency responders,
with the counties with the critical facility providers
is something that I'm really glad to see in here.
And there's nothing but progress that can be made
from where we're at today.
And finally, just to reiterate, the overwhelming focus
on backup generation and the need for that to be clean.
Interestingly enough for me, I do not see these in isolation
from mighty good discussions at all,
not just in terms of technology, but in terms of, you know,
the major landlords for the cell providers,
are the utilities and the opportunity for them to really
have an optimization of planning and in both how
as they prepare for PSPS.
And as these carriers prepare, in their leases, as tenants,
with these landlords do utilities, it's an area that,
you know, really, it's a requirement,
it gets down to the details on the availability
of more land, the availability of local permitting.
It's a problem that can be solved.
And we have the we have all the key players fortunately
there are looking at this issue and it is something
that I'm very glad we're digging into
in the next month here because it seems like
we have jurisdiction, at least over the critical landlord.
So I hope we can really focus on that
and make some much more progressive progress
on the back of generation but thank you very much.
And thank you for the great team that's worked on
keeping this a strong proposal and ultimately,
a strong set of basic requirements
that this the wireless carriers need to contribute
to us be more prepared moving forward.
Thank you.
-: Thank you, Commissioner Guzman Aceves.
Yes, Commissioner Randolph.
-: I'll just be really brief the downside of going last is
I think everybody covered most of what I was gonna say.
I really wanna echo Commissioner Guzman Aceves'
point about including data.
I think that was a really important aspect in the decision.
I think we all recognized it simply calling
and texting is not enough.
And getting being able to access, you know,
oh yes websites, utility websites, making sure
that folks can use their map app if they need to
all of that is is really important in an emergency.
So I'm glad that we included that component.
And then I'll just echo also that we really
do view diesel generation and fossil generation backup
as a stopgap.
I mean, we are in fire season right now today.
So we need to make sure we have in the electricity space
that we have backup generation that's available
to be used right now.
And so I really appreciate the leadership
of Commissioner Shiroma and President Batjer
in the workshop later this year or next month actually,
to really delve into the options related to moving away
from diesel so I really do see it
as a very temporary component right now
and look forward to further developing options
in the future.
So thank you very much and I'll be supporting the decision.
-: Thank you very much, Commissioner Randolph.
Is that are there any other comments on item 13?
I still appreciate the ones we've had.
Okay, seeing none will the agenda clerk,
please call the roll on Item Number 13.
Clerk: Item 13 Commissioner Shiroma.
-: Aye.
Clerk: Commissioner Guzman Aceves.
-: Aye.
Clerk: Commissioner Randolph.
-: Yes.
Clerk: Commissioner Rechtschaffen.
-: Yeah.
Clerk: And President Batjer.
-: Yes, the vote is unanimous for item number 13.
We will now move on to item 44,
which is Commissioner Rechtschaffen.
-: Thank you very much, President Batjer
and I will be showing some slides.
And we're asking Joseph or Robert to to advance the slides.
If you could go to the next slide, please.
We opened this proceeding to establish a framework
for affordability in 2018.
I wanna first thank former Commissioner Peterman,
who had the vision to launch it,
I really think she thought through this a great deal.
And her insights and perspective are very much reflected
in the final decision that we've come up with.
We were concerned about the growing pressure on consumers
from all sorts of utility.
And of course, the importance of this is
only dramatically heightened with COVID
where 45 million people in the state
are currently out of work.
We want it to be able to evaluate the costs faced
by consumers for all of their essential utility services,
not individual ones in isolation,
that's not how consumers experience to the world
they don't think about one bill at a time.
The world works, the real world circumstance,
is a combination of the bills.
And you could certainly imagine this in the context
of the growing rate of disconnection,
which we've been trying to remedy.
When a family loses electricity,
it's not because they couldn't afford just that feel
or 2% increase from the last general rate case.
It's because of the cumulative cost of living that forced
the family to make this very difficult decision
to forego a bill risking disconnection.
Essentially, utilities services include gas, electricity,
water, and telecommunications.
And they also part of telecommunications
must be good quality internet service,
not just any connection, but high quality internet service.
The COVID crisis vividly underscores that has never before.
We have never done this, evaluate cost
in this cumulative way.
And it turns out, nobody else really
has even no other public utilities Commission's
around the country have.
And that's inpart because we tend to view
these services individually one application at a time,
one industry at a time.
And in part, because it's actually quite hard to do this.
It's quite hard to get all the data
I'll talk about in a minute or so.
It's quite hard to account for all the utility services
used by all customers in the state
as large and diverse as California.
You can just imagine, just think of
the hundreds of water utilities that serve
the state's customers that you have to factor in
to the equation alone.
The goal of this proceeding was to give us a tool
to allow us to better assess how individual applications
from all of our utilities,
impact consumers and their ability to pay their bills.
I wanna emphasize that this is one of many tools
that we are starting to use now at the PAC.
This will be used in conjunction with something
we've developed recently a rate and build tracker
that estimates the likely rate increases consumers will face
from all approved and pending applications of utilities.
So that's one very important synergy.
There's also a synergy with
our recent disconnections proceeding where we set goals
for reducing the number of disconnections,
we approved in a rearrage management plan.
And going forward, we will be examining
for the very lowest income customers potential cap
on the percentage of the income they have to pay
for electricity bill.
We also have a water affordability proceeding looking
at file systems as needed for water customers.
And this is other piece with all those efforts.
Over the past 18 months or so we've had
an interdisciplinary team from water, energy
in the telecommunications industry, working extremely hard
to develop staff proposals,
overcome a range of technical issues,
engage in some very sophisticated work,
including GIS mapping of overlay utility territory,
regression analysis, and so forth.
A very challenging analytics efforts.
We could help the workshops consulted with experts
and learned about what other jurisdictions are doing the
and as I said, they're not many are not very few are doing
this and nobody's doing this comprehensively.
So, the result is this decision which I will
the key elements of which I will now describe.
If you could go to the next slide please.
This is the definition of affordability and we define it as
the degree to which a representative household
is able to pay for an essential utility charge
given its socioeconomic status.
The basic notion is that households
have different socioeconomic status, of course,
and different levels of discretionary income.
And we tried to capture both of these ideas
in the affordability metrics that we developed.
And we focus on representative household representatives
based on local income, local housing, data,
local circumstances.
Households have a variety of experiences
and you can't capture them by depicting a single household.
Part of this we had to determine what level
of services truly are essential and how we define that as
the quantity of utility services that enable health,
safety and full participation in society.
We connect the electricity, gas, water,
and telecommunications.
The significance here is we're working
to a deeper understanding of the impact of our decisions
on individuals and communities.
And that's a departure that's different than a lot of what
our traditional regulatory metrics focus on.
For instance, we often talk about increases or decreases
the system average rate, the average rates faced
by ratepayers for giving utilities.
We have well defined customer classes, residential,
small business, commercial, industrial and so forth.
But these are average measurements
and they're really not sufficient to tell us
what affordability means in a state like California,
with 40 million people very diverse geographies,
climate zones, energy needs, income, language
and housing costs and so forth.
So that's what's really new here, as well as fact that
we're looking at cross utility services to examine
the cumulative cost of the services as I mentioned.
Next slide, please.
We developed three different metrics that I'll talk about,
to get a sense of what Californians are paying
for their essential utility services.
The metrics are designed to be complimentary.
None of them are perfect they each have strengths
and weaknesses but together we think that he will give us
the full picture possible of affordability
and they also account for the state's diversity by relying
on geographically granular data
very small geographically granular data.
That's part of what the challenge was here to get down
to levels that are very useful and informative
in a state of 40 million people.
So there's three metrics,
the social Socioeconomic Vulnerability Index
of communities in the state.
The affordability ratio of essential utility service costs
to non-disposable household income,
non discretionary household income, and then the hours
and minimum wage required
to pay for essential utility services.
You can go to the next slide please.
This is the Socioeconomic Vulnerability Index
and the map depicts what the state looks like
using this index.
So this index describes
the relative socioeconomic characteristics
of census tracts around the state.
And it's based on the metrics that are used
by callin virus screens,
which is a well established screen used
by the California EPA to determine levels of disadvantage
throughout the state and you can see what
the measures are poverty, unemployment,
educational attainment, linguistic, isolation
and percent of income spent on housing.
Together these metrics give us a sense of
the community's relative ability
to pay essentially utility services.
The maps on the right depict how different areas
of the state rank.
Green is low, meaning relatively low vulnerability,
red you can see the areas of red is high
and the states very different as this map indicates,
again, this is the scientific way
relative to others, which communities are most vulnerable?
Which would have the greatest challenges paying
their essential utility bills?
Next slide please.
This is the Affordability Ratio.
And this measures, again the ratio
of essential utility services to
non-disposable household income.
To calculate it, the numerator
is essentially utility services
and the denominator is household income
minus housing costs and housing cost is a proxy for
non-disposable household income.
It's the biggest source by far of
non-disposable household income in California.
This metric attempts to answer the question after
a household pays for all their non-discretionary expenses,
what share the income then goes to pay for
the essential service charges that's the ratio
the ratio of service charges to
non-disposable household income.
As I mentioned, household costs are deducted,
they're by far and away the largest expenditures
in California.
And again, this map depicts how different areas of
the state fair and this is the ratio for
the 20th percentile income level
by something called public use micro data areas are very,
a very small geographically annular area.
Again green is represents areas of
low affordability concern.
Red represent areas of high concern, very diverse state.
Next slide please.
This is the hours at minimum wage.
This gives us a sense of how many hours a household
would need to work to afford essentially utility services.
Considering what local minimum wages are
in a given locality, so how many hours you need to work
at local minimum at a minimum wage.
But it's somewhat of an intuitive measure,
it may be a little bit oversimplified,
which is why we don't rely on it solely,
but we thought it's useful in conjunction
with the other metrics.
Again, the maps here show how the states break down
on the left, the hours worked at minimum wage in order
to meet essential telecommunication utility services.
On the right, hours work to meet essential
electricity services levels.
The green here reflects four to eight hours needed to pay
for essential services,
the yellow, eight to twelve hours,
the red 16 hours needed to pay for essential services.
So those are the three metrics,
again designed to be complimentary and used together to give
us the best possible picture of affordability.
Next slide please.
We've adopted hopefully we will adopt in this decision,
these metrics what comes next?
Well, there's lots of steps to take in the future
but most immediately, decision says that the metrics
should be used in rate steady proceedings
in as widespread demand as the current methodology allows.
We don't say use it in absolutely everything
but we say use it in as widespread manner
as the current methodology allows.
We still have additional issues to resolve,
which I'll talk about in a second
but we think it's ready to be used right now,
in cases with significant rate impacts
and we want to encourage you the best you
and the division to do so.
Starting out, we're starting out
with Individual Ratesetting Proceeding
but down the road is the next box indicates
we hope to evaluate the cumulative impact of unaffordability
of multiple proceedings
and we hope to do that in combination with the rates
and build tracking tool I mentioned,
which estimates future rates, again,
based on approved impending application so we can say okay,
we know what the rates are gonma be in
all these proceedings so let's group
the groupies together to come up with
an affordability metric to see what the impact
is on people's ability to meet their essential bill.
There are unresolved issues methodological issues
that we will need to deal with we have a face
to address that notably,
we need to better address forecasting issues
which will help improve the usefulness of the methodology
in proceedings with multiyear rate impacts
such as general rate cases,
forecasting is an issue that needs to be further developed.
The order says that we
will develop annual affordability report,
which will analyze trends in the relative affordability
of essential utility services
and provide a summary of any affordability assessments
that have been done.
And the target is to publish the first one
by the end of this year.
That's the decision in nutshell I wanna thank
an incredibly dedicated team that worked on this a long list
but it's very important Jefferson Hancock, Whalen lei,
Jeremy Whoa, Richard Terry Smith, Ann Keith Jan,
Paul Phillips, Eric Van Amboki are gone
but not forgotten staff Jr De La Rosa
who started this originally energy division
and intern extraordinary Emma Tomme.
I also want to thank ALJ Park,
who launched the proceeding and Judge Patrick Doherty,
who did a fantastic job.
In running the proceeding was really thoughtful
and incisive analysis and writing, and my advisor,
Julia Schmidt, Nicole Cropper, who helps work on it as well.
With that, I'll see if there any questions,
and I ask for your support.
-: Thank you, Commissioner Rechtschaffen.
Yes, Commissioner Shiroma I believe you have a question
or a comment.
-: Another question, just a few comments.
And so thank you so much Commissioner Rechtschaffen
and our predecessor, Commissioner Peterson, Judge Doherty
and the whole team that worked on this decision,
it really shows the deep analysis, the thought,
the reaching out to all of the stakeholders
who work in this area and I'm appreciative that it's really,
you know, at the beginning here, it's a three prong analysis
as far as errands of minimum wage required to pay
for those essential services
or Socioeconomic Vulnerability Index of conditions
in California and then the ratio
of essential utility services to
non-disposable household income aka the Affordability Ratio.
I also appreciate that this is the first swash
on this effort that you aren't drawing
some kind of a bright line as to what is affordable
what is not the rather, these are the tools we use
going forward whether it's in general rate cases
or in other proceedings that create a potential increase
in rate and all I know all the nuances of this analysis
will be further refined in the next proceeding.
I think that the sensitivity analysis
and so forth will be important
and I note that the public
are CPUC independent public Advocate's office,
recommended that the requirement for utilities, water
and energy, that to look at the cumulative impacts of rates
all on the way be codified.
And I think what you're saying Commissioner Rechtschaffen
that will be assessed in this next phase
because, you know, what was all observed
and the whole reason behind the development of great tools
and energy, I know it's being worked on for water
is because we look at revenue requirements for rate,
translate into rate increases, you know,
decision by decision, and there's
an overall cumulative impact of those.
And while we may approve many small programs
and the price tag may be small,
that when you added up all overall,
we end up to a point where we may be seeing rates overall
that are above inflation and so it's my hope that
in this next phase that as far as our work
at the CPUC will continue but I think it's important to look
at whether the energy and water utilities ought to be doing
this affirmatively themselves
I think that it's an important piece also,
to really tying back to customer experience
and the customer service, if the utility themselves
are having to track this and report it and provide
that information to the CPUC.
So I think all of that will could,
I don't know if this is if the affordability proceeding
is the right venue for that but I appreciate that
it will be looked at in the next next phase.
Lastly, again, I'm supportive of the PBN look forward
to voting for it.
I am a little bit concerned that some stakeholders
and some utilities may try to, you know,
use the metrics as some sort of definitive proof
that what they are proposing for utility service
that would increase rate is affordable.
And I wanna make sure that we caution,
this decision is not doing that.
It is providing us with additional important tools
to look at affordability, juxtaposed with, you know,
our overall charge with determining whether rates
are just and reasonable.
Overall, what a herculean effort I thank you
in your teams for this Commissioner Rechtschaffen
and I'm honored to be pleased to vote for it, thank you,
-: President Batjer could I just--
-: Yes of course, Thank you Commissioner Shiroma
and yes, please go ahead Commissioner Rechtschaffen.
-: I wanna respond and underscore
a couple of things you said Commissioner Shiroma.
The intent in this proceeding was to be,
I wouldn't say modest but I guess you could say modest
but not try to answer all the questions,
rather develop a basic set of tools that
the Commission would use.
And very intentionally, we did not set out
nor did we prescribe what comes next.
Whether there should be thresholds for
what starves thresholds for what's affordable
and what's not affordable, some of the utilities argued
for that at the very difficult contentious question
we did try to tackle that.
Is this definitive proof or not of affordability?
Should we codify a requirement how should it be used?
When we set out it was just to develop the tools
and I think it's very much up to us to think about
what the next steps are and how do we use this?
How do we import it into our decisions?
Do we wanna go beyond?
And if so, how do we start that process
but very much consciously since we're not taking on
those issues here.
-: I think Commissioner, I'm not sure whether
Commissioner Randolph or Commissioner Guzman Aceves
raised their hand up first.
Commissioner Randolph you wanna go first
and then we'll go to Commissioner Guzman Aceves.
I think that's the first hand I saw.
-: Sure I just wanted to, again,
thank Commissioner Rechtschaffen and Commissioner Peterman
who originally started this and the whole team
that worked on this.
The you know,
creating these standardized data driven metrics
will be useful and I'm kinda timish
to Commissioner Shiroma's point like this is not
the analysis that determines whether rates
are just in reasonable, you know what this
the purpose of this allows us to look at trends
and to understand where we're going
and how we can ensure that Californians are able
to afford their utility services and under, you know,
finding ways to understand that data
and course correct if we need to
and to also understand some of the utility
how utility costs that maybe we don't necessarily approve,
like, you know, the first piece of the bill, you know,
sort of seeing all that in the context of
this is what you are paying for utility services
and is that affordable
and just understanding that fundamental metric will,
I think, provide us with a very good overall umbrella
that we can think about as we are making decisions
and charting paths forward so thanks
for the great work on this.
-: Sorry, iT was on mute.
Thank you, Commissioner Randolph, Commissioner Guzman Aceves
after you drink your water.
-: Yeah I think there's I just wanna reiterate
how tremendous support product is
in both helping us move forward
on really making better decisions, more informed decisions.
I think the really exciting thing too,
is that we have this set of data
that can be updated obviously,
it's really informing us about the demographics
of our customers and it's something that we just
don't always have the intentionality of looking at.
And it's gonna change and certainly with COVID,
it's changing very dramatically and it's allowing us to
really check in on what the realities of our customers
what they're facing in their realities.
I really, I just appreciate having
that kind of front and center and I'm very excited
in particular about having the right and bill tracker tool
to really help us make those better informed decisions
and assess the cumulative impacts,
individually impacts of our decisions
and also just reiterating that although we're ready to go
in the energy forum are not ready to go
but closer to ready to go with all of our electricity,
gas decisions and really those inputs for
a lot of the work that's been done on those IOU side,
but also this is a tool that hopefully we'll be using soon
within the water decision making as well.
I wanted to just talk a little bit about the excitement
I have for implementation on some of these
and just highlight in particular
we have a proposed decision out
in the water affordability proceeding
where we have incorporated
some of the metrics guiding metrics
of the this affordability proceeding,
and particularly in terms of what we consider
kind of baseline qualities for basic use meet basic needs
for water.
Something the State Water Board has really set forth for us
as well and to legislation, but just an example of how,
as we have in the webpage here,
the PowerPoint that we can really use those guidance
for individual proceedings.
The other that I'm very excited about as
Commission Rechtschaffen had mentioned
with the disconnections proceeding,
we are moving forward with the development
of a percentage of income payment plans.
And this by the way is something
that many other states offer.
I just had a conversation with
the Commissioner from Illinois yesterday on
how they're expanding the use of their pip during COVID.
But this is something that would be greatly informed
by the tools that developed under
this affordability proceeding to really evaluate, you know,
what is that real percentage?
We call it short hand percentage of income obviously
but hopefully we can use all these weighted factors
to come up with something that incorporates really
what the real true disposable income is
and what percentage of that should be paid
on a monthly bill.
Also, I do obviously wanna say that,
I appreciate that the proceeding really reflects
kind of the pre-COVID necessity has been necessity
on communications on broadband in particular
25 down three up and for my household,
I can tell you when the kids are in Zoom school
and my husband and I are working at home,
we have four devices on the internet
and 25, three is insufficient.
If we are Zooming it's insufficient.
So you know, this is just to say that obviously,
we're gonna need to update this as the decision says
we're gonna be updating this but with COVID,
I really just want to highlight that the basic need
even 25, three from my own anecdotal household
is a greater need and it's something obviously that we're,
we have to maintain and continue to upgrade our thinking
but overall I'm just tremendously happy to see,
these work products come forward.
I'm very much looking forward to utilizing
all the excellent analysis and continue to build on it.
So thank you very much for all of the work done
by energy division and ALJ.
And your office Commissioner Rechtschaffen.
-: Thank you, Commissioner Guzman Aceves and yeah
Commissioner Rechtschaffen.
-: Just quickly President Batjer
as Commissioner Guzman Aceves mentions
we will be updating the data here.
There's no intention of it being static
so we will definitely be regularly updating it.
And it will also be publicly available
this tool is available to stakeholders in the public
that's one of the beautiful things about it.
It's a tool that's transparent and that other
anybody can use.
-: Thank you, Commissioner Rechtschaffen
I wanna add my voice everyone has
been extraordinarily articulate and thorough
with their comments so I just want to
join my fellow Commissioners in thanking you.
This has been I think of all the proceedings
that you have had going on and the complications
the last six to eight months
it's really been quite extraordinary.
I wanna thank you, ALj, the energy division
this is an incredible tool and I might just
in articularly probably say, just in the nick of time
for us to use in these very difficult COVID-19 times
with our fellow Californians struggling to pay bills,
struggling to put the basics on the table for each family
and each individual so this is extremely important tool
on with the rate and build tracker another important tool
so thank you so much everyone for the hard work
and your leadership Commissioner Rechtschaffen.
Incredible, incredible body of work.
So I think with that on item 44 will the agenda clerk
please call the roll.
Clerk: For item 44 Commissioner Shiroma.
-: Aye.
Clerk: Commissioner Guzman Aceves.
-: Aye.
Clerk: Commissioner Randolph
-: Yes.
Clerk: Commissioner Rechtschaffen.
-: Yes.
Clerk: President Batjer.
-: Yes, thank you, the vote is unanimous for item number 44.
Now moving on to item 45.
That is also Commissioner Rechtschaffen's item.
-: Thank you President Batjer no slides on this one.
But I'm pleased to introduce this
new risk based decision making framework OIR
that builds on our safety model assessment proceeding
colloquially known as SMAP.
It follows from our last SMAP proceeding,
where we adopted a new framework essentially transforming
how our energy utilities make decisions
about spending on safety risks.
And the new framework requires the utilities
to evaluate risk in a much more transparent way,
uniform way and quantitatively rigorous way
no longer just subjective subject matter expertise
but a quantitative uniform way
and additionally perform analysis
to compare risk reduction benefits
from various mitigation measures,
including the relative efficiency
of their risk reduction spending.
A lot more analytics to how utilities approach safety,
prioritization and spending.
This is you know, very complex, very important framework
and issue.
We always intended that the SMAP proceeding
would be iterative now gain some experience
with the utility implementing the framework.
So, it's an opportune time to build on our prior progress,
which is what this new lawyer does.
It will answer three primary questions.
One, at a leverage the lessons we've learned so far
from implementation.
Two, whether we should adopt a risk tolerance standard
something similar stand to say this level of risk
is acceptable this level is not.
we've never explicitly done that.
And three, whether we should adopt or change
any new safety performance metrics.
You can recall in the last SMAP proceeding,
we adopted close to two dozen safety metrics this ask
whether we should adopt new ones or modify the ones we have.
The last proceeding was very collaborative
and utilities Commission staff, other stakeholders,
academic experts working together and I look forward to more
such collaborative discussions
as part of this new proceeding, thank you.
-: Thank you Commissioner Rechtschaffen,
would anybody like to make a comment or.
I have a question for Commission Rechtschaffen
Yes, Commissioner Guzman Aceves.
-: Thank you President Batjer, Commissioner Rechtschaffen.
I'm very glad we're looking at this in new way
I think one of the things that we've gotten the utilities
have really improved upon is kind of the thoroughness
of how they're looking at all of their safety investments.
I think we still have a ways to go at looking at
the real risk analysis it's still an area that
just even in looking through some of the reports that they
do provide us annually now.
They are really thorough but the waiting of
the importance of why you know
a dollar here versus a dollar there is still something
that needs great improvement.
So I think this further guidance and direction in the SMAP
can hopefully further that decision making metric
that we can see that they're taking into account
as they prioritize their resources.
And then also just having the transparency to track
where they're at with the investments that they propose
making and redirected that they make is something
that I greatly appreciate.
And having that in one place and being able to see
how those investments are going.
So this is something I know we are really growing
and maybe even returning to our, you know, century old way
of looking at our role, but this tracking that we've
kind of have a refocus to really forcing the utilities
to prioritize their investments is something I continue
to see great progress in and really just thank you
and thanks to Judge Vogel for explaining
in such a great way.
I appreciate graphics and I think she did
a really excellent job in just laying out how all of
the guiding documents and the reporting work together
and how they, as you said, feed into each other
for improvement.
And so thank you very much
and I look forward to supporting this.
-: Thank you, yes Commissioner Randolph.
-: I, thanks to Commissioner Randolph and Judge Vogel
I'm Commissioner Randolph, Commissioner Rechtschaffen
(laughs)
-: You can always pat yourself
on the back Commissioner Randolph.
(laughs)
-: So anyway, thanks for this OIR I think we're really,
really trying to move towards the risk based analysis
in so many different formats
in the wildfire mitigation context
in the climate adaptation context
and I appreciate the fact that this OIR calls out
all these proceedings in areas where we're really gonna need
to apply this framework and so I think this is gonna be
a great opportunity as you know, in the coming years
as the OIR plays out, so thanks for getting it started.
-: Thank you, Commissioner Randolph.
Yes, Commissioner Shiroma.
-: Thank you President Batjer and thank you so much,
once again to Commissioner Rechtschaffen on your leadership
in this area this is a relatively new type of process
in approximately three years or so,
requiring these safety model assessment
and the risk assessment mitigation phase that then feeds
into the general rate cases in terms of feeding in
the very important safety data driven analysis
into the budget proceedings for
the investor owned utilities.
And, you know, I appreciate that you'll be looking at
risk tolerance standards, and reasonably practical low
as reasonably practicable type standards.
Some of these things are used in other arenas,
whether it's cancer prevention or what have you
and see how that may or may not inform us
in terms of safety overall and also that it looks like
you're proceeding could be bringing in the small
and multi-jurisdictional utilities,
along with the large energy utilities
and whether small or large we all need to be having an
analytical approach to inform us in terms of safety overall
for the utilities, for the customers, for the employees.
So thank you for the effort and please do support
the opening of this rulemaking.
Thank you.
-: Thank you, Commissioner Shiroma
and I have always the unfortunate situation where everyone
has said all the wonderful things that I would like to say
and I would just be repeating that
I do thank Commissioner Rechtschaffen for your leadership
and obviously will strongly support this item until you sign
the risk based decision making framework that was developed
in the safety model assessment proceeding.
This is such an important effort and I look forward
to the reiteration of it.
I appreciate this new rulemaking we'll consider
the coordination between the SMAP and the RAMP
and the wildfire mitigation plans
and the climate change adaptation proceedings
is sort of been mentioned important
to eliminating duplication of efforts
and that our safety related proceedings have work.
I think they need to all work in a synergistic manner
which I know we all appreciate.
As much to be done of course I will be supporting this item
and I also add my thanks to not only your leadership,
Commissioner Rechtschaffen but that the wonderful work
of Al J. Fogle, and Kirsten for their steady leadership
in this area and I wanna thank Dave Peck,
my advisor on this matter
and the hard work that he also did.
So thank you all very much and I'm going to now turn back
to the agenda Clerk to please call the roll on item 45.
Clerk: For item 45, Commissioner Shiroma.
-: Aye.
Clerk: Commissioner Guzman Aceves.
-: Aye.
Clerk: Commissioner Randolph.
-: Yes.
Clerk: Commissioner Rechtschaffen.
-: Yeah.
Clerk: And President Batjer.
-: Yes, thank you the vote is unanimous for item 45.
Returning to item 47, which is related to item 17,
which we voted on, out on the consent calendar.
This is Commissioner Shiroma so, we do not
we can withdraw item 47 since it was dealt with
on the consent calendar with item 17.
So therefore, moving on to item 48,
to and that's Commissioner Rechtschaffen.
-: This is an extension order in our PURPA proceeding.
We opened up this OIR in July of 2018 to modify
our standard offer contract for electricity sale
by generating facilities 20 megawatts or less,
to invest your own utilities.
In May we approved that new standard offer contract
in a decision that was in response to a court order.
Finding that are distinct standard also contract
did not meet all the requirements of federal law.
The decision left to proceed and open to consider whether
any further action needed to comply with PURPA
including any changes to PURPA regulations that
may be handed down from for currently has on their agenda
potential revisions to PURPA regulation
is possibly next week, but we don't know when
they're gonna ask but it's still an open question
of whether they will and what they'll do.
So in light of that, I'm asking for your support to extend
the deadline in this case to January 2021.
To allow staff to determine if any additional action
is needed in this proceeding.
I ask for your support.
-: Thank you, Commissioner Rechtschaffen
are there any comments or questions?
-: On item? -: 48.
Okay seeing none,
will the agenda clerk please call the roll?
Clerk: For item 48, Commissioner Shiroma.
-: Aye.
Clerk: Commissioner Guzman Aceves.
-: Aye.
Clerk: Commissioner Randololph.
-: Yes.
Clerk: Commissioner Rechtschaffen.
-: Yes.
Clerk: President Batjer.
-: Yes, the vote on item 48 is a unanimous, thank you.
Moving now on to item 49, Commissioner Randolph.
-: This is an order extending statutory deadline
in Rashid Al Malik versus Southern California Edison.
This is an expedited complaint proceeding concerning
a customer's participation in the care program
and disputed charges over a four month billing period.
The 12 month deadline for the proceeding was set to end
on August 5, 2020.
However, the assigned Administrative Law Judge
requires additional time to prepare proposed decision.
So this order we extend the deadline by about 10 weeks
to October 15, 2020.
With that, I ask for your support.
-: Thank you, Commissioner Randolph.
Are there any questions or comments?
Okay, seeing none will the agenda clerk please call the roll
for item 49?
Clerk: For item 49, Commissioner Shiroma.
-: Aye.
Clerk: Commissioner Guzman Aceves.
-: Aye.
Clerk: Commissioner Randolph.
-: Yes.
Clerk: Commissioner Rechtschaffen.
-: Yeah.
Clerk: President Batjer.
-: Yeah, thank you.
The vote is unanimous for item 49.
We will now move on to the next item on our agenda today
and that's management report.
There's no report for item 51 which is a report
and discussion on recent consumer protection
and safety activities.
I will now turn to executive director Stebbins for item 52,
which is management report on administrative activities.
Alice.
Alice: Thank you President Batjer I'm presenting today
our first quarter of 2020 employee recognition awards.
Our first award is for customer service.
I give you the transportation licensing section of
Jeff Kasmar, Marita Perez, Sandy Lam, Jason Lee,
Armi Miranda, Jesse Hernandez, Lucia Magana,
Don Wise, Charles Lorenzo,
Lorena Marzan, Otis byrd, Raymond Tam and Sandra Baron.
From our consumer protection and Enforcement Division.
These individuals helped to expand
a new transportation carrier call center,
which provides a very valuable service
to transportation carriers who call us frequently.
Staff are available to answer calls
on Monday, Wednesday and Fridays.
Understand it is open from one to three
to respond to these questions
on transportation applications,
equipment updates and general issues.
The call center process was designed by Marita Perez,
Sandy Lam and Jason Lee,
who worked with the technology provider Verizon
to develop the phone system.
At the time of this nomination
the team has already assisted nearly 900 callers.
So a special thank you to Jeff, Marita, Sandy, Jason, Armi,
Jesse, Lucia, Don, Charles,Lorena, Otis, Raymond and Sandra.
Thanks, everyone.
-: President Batjer I'm sorry,
can I just make a quick comment?
I just I really wanna thank this team for putting
this together this has been several years in the making
and was one of the key goals for the transportation division
when I first started here at the Commission
and so really very much appreciate their work getting
this going having that ability to interact, you know,
more directly is so important in providing customer service.
So I just really wanna thank you for all the work.
-: Thank you (indistinct) I think I mentioned Guzman Aceves,
did you have your no.
Okay then Commissioner Shiroma.
Yeah, I was clapping to.
(laughs)
-: Thank you I wanted to chime in and say congratulations
to this team and for the viewing public.
Cost may not be aware that there are
over 1000 transportation network companies,
charter party carriers, passenger stage corporations
and also common carriers which are ferries across
the state of California and his team really make sure that
all of these carriers are meeting our safety requirements
keeping the stamp on the road and on the ocean.
So just wanted to chime in my thanks.
-: Thank you I add my congratulations to this team
and thank you, Alice for your terrific description
of their hard work.
Excellent job yay.
(chuckles)
Okay, I think Alice back to you.
Alice: Yeah thanks, Commissioner
thank you President Batjer and a special shout out
to Dougito I think his strong leadership really helped
with the success of the.
For our next award goes to Liela Tan Walsh
from the communication division for collaboration.
Upon becoming a supervisor Liela recognized that
she needed to provide good customer service to her team
and others.
She collaborated with management, legal and human resources
on being a great supervisor.
Taking all the necessary training and seeking counsel
which is often needed as a new supervisor.
Liela reaches out for assistance from subject matter experts
to address issues to identify and implement
the correct path forward.
As a supervisor working with her team and others,
Liela is gracious, patient, diligent and wise.
Liela is committed to fairness and has been
an appropriate advocate for her staff.
Liela stands out as an exceptional
and collaborative supervisor, thank you Liela.
-: Yes (chuckles) one second
(indistinct)
Alice: I just I wanted to say that her name is Liela
and Liela is amazing and has really
is always positive attitude so thank you liela
for everything.
-: Again, Commissioner Guzman Aceves thank you for that
and Liela thank you for putting up with my mispronouncing
of your name.
Our next award is for outstanding achievement and goes
to Emma Johnston, Shayla Funk and Glenn Galman
from the executive division.
These individuals made significant contributions
to the CPED enforcement prioritization project.
This project was launched in December 2019
and Emma, Shayla and Glenn joined the team in January 2020.
The project was to assess
the transportation enforcement branches efficiency
and resource allocation essentially to answer
whether CPED operations are efficient and maximize
the use of their personnel resources.
The project involved analyzing transportation data,
interviewing subject matter experts,
conducting research in the CPUCs general orders
and the public utilities codes.
Visiting airport facilities and reviewing policies
and procedures.
Glenn, Shayla and Emma worked well
with cross divisional colleagues and management.
They contributed in all areas of the report
with exceptional performance in the following areas.
Glenn for his project leadership and risk management,
Emma with her exceptional skills for report writing,
attention to detail and brainstorming
and Shayla with her ability to look at big picture,
thinking and quality assurance.
The team was a pleasure to work with
very professional and had a can do spirit.
Thank you, Emma, Shayla and Glenn.
-: Yay,
(chuckles)
thank you all.
Thank you very, very much okay.
Alice: So we've got two more
and next is an award for outstanding achievement.
Achievement which goes to Dennis aka Buzz Reeves
from our rail safety division.
Buzz is an exemplary employee on all fronts.
He came to the CPUC from the railroad industry
with over 40 years of experience
and his knowledge of railroading
and its governing regulations is truly extensive.
As a railroad inspector Buzz work tirelessly, day and night,
promoting safety and helping fellow workers on any project
at the drop of a hat.
He always goes above and beyond what is required.
Buzz also instigated regulatory proceedings
to improve railroad grade crossings throughout
the Central Valley.
He has diligently written both federal
and state non compliance inspection reports
that have either improved or eliminated unsafe work habits
and is responsible for developing several best practices
among inspectors.
Buzz is knowledgeable and professional in all the dealings
and is well respected by all that know him.
Which generally enhances his ability
to influence real change in the safety culture
on the railroads.
He is a shining example of what a field inspector should be.
He has a strong work ethic and is always willing
to share his experience.
Buzz leads by example and provides inspiration
to his fellow inspectors.
Thank you Buzz.
Leadership is our final award and goes to Amy Yip-Kikugawa
from the legal division.
Amy has regularly shown leadership in several ways.
She works effectively with clients including
the public Advocate's office
and the Safety Enforcement Division.
She supports her staff attorneys to effectively advocate
for those clients.
Amy regularly reviews attorney pleadings and brief
often late at night to make sure attorneys have
the guidance they need to represent clients.
She holds regular brown bag lunches for staff,
where she has raised current topics and issues to discuss.
Amy recently agreed to be the first co-speaker
at a lunchtime series of lectures to the legal division
and the AL division interns.
She often refers her staff to each other to help them learn
from each other's experience and expertise.
Amy shows kindness and generosity to her team as well
as others throughout the Commission
and her empathy and emotional intelligence have helped calm
and guide her team through
often difficult intense litigation.
The CPUC is lucky to have Amy as a leader
and as a better organization for having her.
Thank you, Amy.
So president Batjer I will turn it back to you.
-: Thank you executive director Stebbins
and congratulations once again to all of our magnificent
fantastic colleagues.
Yay thank you so very much. -: Yay.
-: Congratulations for all of your hard work
and your contributions to the CPUC.
Okay, thank you we'll now move on to item 53.
That will be an update on
the energy IOU disconnections moratorium
and the COVID-19 related consumer complaints
and resolutions.
For the first item, Deputy Executive Director,
Edward Randolph will provide an overview of
the disconnection moratorium and then he will be followed
by Amy gmrt who will it was the program manager
for the consumer affairs Batch and
who will give us an update on the COVID-19
related consumer complaints received and resolved.
Ed would you like to take it away?
Edward: Yes, can everybody hear me okay?
-: Began thank you.
Edward: Great if you'd indulge me for a second,
I would like to issue a thank you as well after all of this
going back to Commissioner Rechtschaffen presentation
on the affordability proceeding,
well Commissioner Rechtschaffen did a good job thanking all
the staff who were actively involved in that.
Just through probably no fault of anybody's on,
I noted that several Commissioners,
generically thank energy division staff and the ALJs.
I'd like to note that that proceeding was truly
a joint division effort with water division
and communications division as well.
A lot of the heavy lifting was done by those divisions.
So I wanna make sure that their work on that proceeding
is acknowledged as well.
With that, I can start with the presentation
if somebody can move the slides forward.
So in this presentation, we're gonna give an update
on disconnections during COVID-19
and other customer protections that were put in place
at the beginning of the emergency order for COVID-19.
A massive broad reminder, the Commission in 2017,
had ordered the utilities that had customers impacted
by wildfires to institute a litany of customer protections
for those customers as they were dealing
with having their power shut off,
being out of their house for a long time
and reconnecting.
We again did similar protections in 2018 and at that time
also institutionalize those protections so that they would
be automatically triggered anytime
a natural disaster triggers a emergency declaration
by the governor.
Somewhat unfortunately that those decisions that
institutionalize them did not anticipate a statewide
or global pandemic.
So the pandemic emergency order didn't directly trigger
these mechanisms.
But the Commission moved very quickly after
the emergency order.
First through directives,
from executive director Alice Stebbins
and then codified and resolution to extend
all of those customer protections statewide
to all customers that maybe impacted by COVID-19.
Most importantly on of those with the outright ban
on disconnections for non-payment of bills
but also instituted flexible payment plan for customers
who are struggling to pay their bills,
suspension of requirements for deposits for re-establishment
of service and a increased effort to market in outreach
on the CARE/FERA programs.
And while we don't have charts on the CARE/FERA programs
in this presentation,
I will note that since COVID-19 started and partially
as the results of those outreach efforts.
We've seen an increase of eight to 10%
in total CARE/FERA participation over the timeframe
since April.
If we can move to the next slide, please.
This slide shows the overall status of disconnect
among the major utilities, there're actually all
the electric and gas utilities in California.
As you can see, with an exception, which I'll touch on
in a second, Southern California Gas.
There are actually no disconnected customers
in California right now.
That may seem like a number that is too good to be true.
And I will explain why we are there
and how that number works.
The disconnection moratorium once that went in place,
there were still a number of customers
who had been disconnected prior to the moratorium
or with the place.
The Commission directed the utilities to aggressively work
with customers that had been disconnected
to reconnect them immediately with no requirement
for additional deposits as required by the orders.
And the utilities in response to that actually aggressively
went out to all utilities who had been disconnected
either through first phone calls
and if they couldn't reach them through phone calls,
through paying multiple personal visits to the customers
to reconnect them.
And so that is why all these customers got reconnected.
There does come a time where the utility will mark
a property or business down as abandoned.
So at some point in time, customers at one point
were disconnected would be taken off the list
is disconnected even though they weren't reconnected
because the property was determined abandoned.
But that only occurs after multiple efforts to reach
the customers and ensure that no one is still living
in the property.
The anomaly with SoCal gas is in large part that
they don't remove the customers from the disconnection list
that they report to us as quickly
for being abandoned property.
However, they also report that of
the 53 residential customers and seven non-red,
they've had multiple outreach efforts with them
several customers are slated to be reconnected shortly.
Approximately 20 customers will actually shortly be removed
from the list after one more effort is made to determine
if someone is living in the property.
And approximately 10 customers can't be reconnected
for health and safety reasons
either there are other issues that are going on
in their premises that need to be repaired first.
That is the summary of my presentation
and I can hand it over to Amy
or I can address questions now.
-: Lets first see if there are any questions
for Deputy Executive Director Randolph
before we move on to Amy.
-: Yes Commissioner Guzman Aceves first.
-: Thank you Ed, yeah I know I have to reach out to Ed
seen the presentation.
Seems a little too good to be true to see so many customers
being connected virtually all I think that is,
it's ironic when we started the disconnections proceeding.
That was obviously the goal that many of us
many of the folks advocating was
that we would have zero disconnections in the state.
And it's interesting to see that it's possible
and how we could potentially maintain this.
My question was actually related to the cost recovery.
I think many of our just want to bring forward
to the Commissioners.
I know, in many of our decisions we don't get into
a lot of the details when we get to vote on them
but in the disconnections proceeding we allow the utilities
to file a tier two advice letter requesting
the cost from COVID to be transferred into
what we authorized in that proceeding overarching
two way balancing account from collectibles.
And I'm mostly sharing that just as something that
we hope to be able to track and really just seen
Ed if you have any thoughts on concerns about that
I know some other states have done the same allowing
for two way balancing accounts
or allowing for annual truing up.
There's different approaches that different states
are taking some are giving a much shorter timeframe
for recovery so just wondering if you have
any further thoughts on the cost recovery side of this.
Edward: Thank you, Commissioner Guzman Aceves.
Just a couple observations on that.
We have already begun tracking the costs related
to unpaid bill since the beginning of the crisis.
We actually tracked two different costs of utilities,
provides us on a monthly basis
and we keep them distinctly separate to cost recovery.
Processes may be different for each,
one is under collection that is resulting
from decrease sales.
And then the other is the amount of money
that is in arrearages due to unpaid bills.
And you are correct that your decision
from several weeks ago actually changes the paradigm
in which cost recovery would work for neither
arrearage amounts and the utilities can start tracking them
and two Way balancing accounts and seek cost recovery
for the amounts in the future.
What I'll note right now is even though we know
the total number of the total dollar amount of
the arrearages and that actually is marked confidential
at the moment it's hard to do much analysis around it,
because it is very there is no model or example
for us to know how much of that will ultimately be repaid.
As the economy comes back into place
as the initial slide noted, there is new payment plans put
into place to help people pay their bills
if they can't afford them.
And then decision the Commission approved several weeks ago
with arrearage management program.
We'll create different tools so it's very difficult
to put a pinpoint on how much of the arrearage management
will ultimately not be collected by the utilities.
-: Yeah and then finally,
I just wanted to share that I know Commissioner Shiroma
is taking a lot of leadership on looking
at bill reduction measures that can be done to alleviate
as we discussed today we did another one on
a particular set of folks in London the DAC GT,
but there are I know many of us are participating
with other states and Commissions and discussing whether
what other states are doing.
And so I hope that we can continue to have a few forums.
Obviously, the disconnection proceeding is one
but there are many other vehicles for us to effectuate
some of these continued needs.
And I just wonder if we should have maybe
another touch point for Ed or somebody from his team
to come back to us on that.
You know, just this week, I learned of
different approaches to debt relief that are taking place
in not even as may I'll say complicated as the app
in terms of utility Commission's and utilities
just straight forgiving the debt without
kind of those structure that we have,
which is a kind of earnings of each bill
that you pay on time.
So there seems to be different things that states are doing.
As I mentioned earlier today,
some states have really expanded their PIPs and really,
so I hope that we can, you know, look at what other states
are doing and certainly have continued forums
for us to discuss what other sort of alleviation
we should be thinking of our customers,
especially given that we have this opportunity
with a moratorium.
I know some of the unemployment checks you know,
this is kind of the last of the subsidy
unless Congress acts again, of course.
So I think we're gonna start to see some
more drastic impacts in the coming month or two.
And being kind of at peace with that shift in loss of income
is something that I'm concerned about and seeing
if we can put more tools on the table.
Thank you.
-: Sorry, I was muted.
Commissioner Shiroma.
Thank you, Commissioner Guzman Aceves.
-: Yes, thank you.
I wanna tag on to what Commissioner Guzman Aceves
said in terms of future efforts to look at what else
can be done with our utilities.
We heard about afford ability and the various minimum wage
and in a community metrics that we just voted out.
I think it is so fortuitous that
the disconnection proceeding was well underway
and we voted that out last month,
because the disconnections moratorium goes
to April 2021 so far.
In terms of helping our customers
and the utilities reconcile repayment going forward,
how is that done to assure that folks
don't go completely underwater with bills
that have just accrued and accrued and accrued
where you can't even see light at the end of the tunnel
for getting out of financial distress.
So I think it'll be important for the Commission
to continue to look at one of the ways
where the forums you know, going forward in terms of
having a dialogue amongst ourselves and also amongst
the stakeholders in the utilities because the pandemic
is not going away anytime soon.
Thank you.
-: Thank you, Commissioner there any other comments
or questions of Ed?
Or we then turn to okay.
See now let's turn to Amy Chamarty
who is the program manager for the consumer affairs branch.
Who is going to give us an update on the COVID-19
related consumer complaints received and resolved.
Amy?
Amy: Good afternoon, Commissioners.
Can you hear me okay?
-: Yes we can thank you.
Amy: Great, today I'll be presenting
on the impact of COVID-19 on consumers.
Can I have the next slide please?
CAB handles complaints about communications, water
and energy utilities.
We also handle LifeLine participation appeal.
We receive contacts mainly about communications
and energy matters.
You can see from this slide that
we received very few water contacts.
Next slide please.
In mid-March, there were widespread shelter in place orders
the CPUC thought to assist consumers
by helping disconnections
and temporarily suspending renewal requirements
for assistance programs.
Next slide.
The main takeaway from our interactions with consumers
is that they are very concerned about outages
and maintaining service.
So with the shelter in place orders,
consumers have been at home.
They have had to educate their children at home
and so utility services are more important than ever.
From March 15 to June 13,
approximately 300 consumers contacted us
about service outages or planned outages.
The planned outages are specific to the electric utilities
and another 300 consumers contacted us about disconnections
or payment arrangements.
And payment arrangements are of course,
a method for the consumers to lower their monthly payment
and pay their arrearage over a longer period of time.
It's important that consumers have phone service
in case of emergency and stay connected to family.
For example, if you have elderly family,
you may not be able to visit them.
So you need to be able to contact them.
And consumers were really upset about
the planned power outages.
Some outages lasted multiple days,
meaning that their food spoiled especially elderly
or immunocompromised consumers didn't feel safe
going back out to the grocery store,
they were really trying to limit their exposure.
So these planned outages really caused a lot of stress
for them.
Next slide please.
This chart shows the utilities that received
the most complaints.
I do wanna note that we do have updated numbers
for this chart and since then, AT&T has actually exceeded
Southern California Edison for the most complaints.
And you can see that AT&T as well as Frontier
received large amounts of service outage contacts
and Edison received a disproportionate amount
of planned outage contacts.
Next slide please.
CAB oversees the team and changes programs
which support limited English proficient consumers
that need help with their telecommunications
and energy services.
The support services are provided
by community based organizations through community outreach,
education sessions and individual case management.
During the shelter in place, community based organizations
had to close their offices,
which reduce the number of services provided.
The number of consumers provided
with education services fell from about 5000 in March
to about 1400 in April.
The Team and Changes CBOs rely on in person events
to provide education services,
their clientele does not typically
use web based presentation software.
The Team and Changes clients rely heavily on bringing
in bills and paperwork physically to the CBO offices
and individual case assistance fell from about 740 consumers
to just under 600 in April.
The CBOs have really tried to work around this issue
to the extent that they could
but the number of services were impacted.
Next slide, please.
So the good news is that consumer protections are working.
Our disconnection and payment arrangement contacts
are down significantly compared to last year,
from March 15 to June 13 of this year,
we received about 300 contacts related to disconnections
and payment arrangements.
And last year, during that same period,
we received more than 1000 consumer contacts related
to these issues.
The utilities have been extremely responsive
to reconnection and payment arrangement requests.
They've been flexible.
They've been in constant communication with us.
We have received the same feedback from
the Team and Changes contractor
and about 80% of disconnection and payment arrangement cases
were resolved in favor of the consumer.
Next slide please.
So the good news is that our contacts related to COVID
are trending down.
I will note that since this chart was produced,
the outage contacts have ticked up a little bit
and I do believe that is related
to AT&T service outage contacts.
Next slide, please.
We do have concerns about
the disconnection moratoriums ending
as well as the assistance program renewal.
Once these moratoriums and we do expect a surge in cases
including LifeLine appeal.
We also anticipate increases in contacts
when public safety power shut off to resume.
Last year we received a significant amount
of contacts related to PSPS
and if shelter in place continues,
we expect even more contacts from consumers
about this issue.
Next slide please.
So during this crisis, we really have focused
on helping consumers maintain service.
CAB staff transition into working from home
and we've been able to maintain our service levels
and stay available to assist consumers.
All disconnection and payment arrangement cases
are being prioritized.
Our staff and our management are in constant communication
with the utilities as well as the consumers.
As a management team we regularly talk about any cases
that are not resolved.
We've helped 84 customers get service reconnected
and helped 89 consumers with payment arrangements.
And I wanna note that although consumers contacted us
about disconnection not all of them
were actually disconnected at that time.
Just a lot of consumers are really concerned
that they would be disconnected and so it was our job
to put them in contact with the utility and just reassure
them that they're not being disconnected
they will maintain service for as long as the moratoriums
are in place.
Right now we are focused on processing cases
as quickly as possible and keeping our case load down.
If there is a surge in cases we want to make sure
that we're prepared for that.
And CAB staff have done a great job supporting consumers
and processing cases.
Our analytical staff and our operation staff
have been working together to make sure
that we're serving consumers in the best way possible.
And the industry divisions have been very active
and engaged on the consumer cases.
And they've been assisting us
with resolving outstanding issues.
They ask us a lot of questions.
There's a lot of back and forth.
So I've really appreciated that.
Next slide, please.
And let me know if you have any questions.
-: You're on mute.
Amy I really wanna thank you for the presentation
I had and I also of course want to thank Ed as well
I had asked that this be agendized
because I thought it was so important
that we collectively noted how
we were dealing with disconnections and other outages,
to out all of our regulatory responsibilities.
So Amy, I really want to thank you and CAB you perform
an incredible service you are I consider our frontline
to the consumers and helping out the ratepayers
and the consumers every day solving their issues,
connecting them with the utilities and continuing to stay
on the case is as it were,
I just really appreciate how hard you all work.
And and I want to congratulate the entire team.
This has been a really important time during
the COVID-19 emergency,
it will continue to be and I know that working from home,
as you all do and sheltering in place also been
quite amazing how you all have not missed a beat.
So thank you, Amy, for your leadership.
And a special thanks to all of your team members.
They've just worked tremendously.
And I'd love to see an update if I may,
on the utilities that received
most COVID-19 related contacts by category.
You mentioned that AT&T's complaints have surpassed
those of Southern California Edison and I'd like to see
an updated chart not, when you have the time,
but I'd like to see that new some of that new information.
So Amy, thank you, thank you, thank you very much,
and all very useful information and thank the team.
I'm going to now turn to my fellow Commissioners
for comments and their thoughts.
I think I saw Commissioner Rechtschaffen raise his hand.
-: Yes, let me echo my thanks to Amy
for all your fantastic work and the dedication commitment
of CAB and more important than ever,
they do such great work for us.
I was disheartening to see your slide on Team and Changes.
Of course it makes sense that they do most of the work
at community meetings and gatherings.
But the drop off is pretty dramatic.
And those are the of course those are the CBOs
that reach the most vulnerable
and linguistically isolated communities.
I'm wondering if there are other workarounds
that we can suggest that you're suggesting
that they could think about.
You mentioned they're starting to try some work around
but what else can we do to get encouraged
to work our payment changes to continue to the direction
where consumers really,
we don't want people going to public spaces of course
and we don't want them to go community meetings
and other events where they're usually county's customers.
What else are we thinking about?
Amy: That's a great question.
We have focused more money on outreach.
So although consumers can't walk by the office
or find out about the programs at a community event,
we can make more media placements,
so that they're aware of that the services
are available to them.
I think that the contractor feels pretty strongly
that online forms of education may not be effective,
but we're having regular conversations with them trying
to think of ideas of how we can increase the services.
But it is a challenge for us.
-: Thanks yeah, I agree online is not gonna get too many of
these communities that's just not tools that they use,
I don't know PSAs or as in local media
or different language media might help but anyway,
I encourage you to continue brainstorming about it.
Amy: Of course.
-: Commissioner Shiroma thank you,
Commissioner Rechtschaffen.
Commissioner Shiroma.
-: Yes, thank you.
Amy this is such important information
and I appreciate the efforts of the,
of your team in being the interface with customers.
Like any of us Commissioners from time to time received
an inquiry from a customer with water, telco, energy,
transportation so forth.
And it's great that we can then provide that inquiry
to your group to troubleshoot and to help out
the customer navigate through the utility process.
Now, we may have covered this but are you sharing
the trends that you're seeing in your group
with the utilities, you know, AT&T then I found the SMAP
(indistinct) for it's on.
Because it is insightful to say.
What are the key things that we as a Commission
are seeing from your customers?
Amy: Yes, we have been actually
one issue that's come up recently, of course,
related to COVID
but a lot of Spectrum consumers are contacting us.
Spanish speaking consumers are contacting us
because they think that our phone number
is the utility's phone number.
So that's something that we plan to discuss with Spectrum
and just make sure their consumers
have the right information.
But yeah, anytime a consumer comes to us and they said,
you know, we've been disconnected
or I need a payment arrangement.
We talked to the staff at the utilities
and kind of identify those issues with them.
It's a constant conversation but
as well as with staff, you know, we have staff meetings
and so we'll ask the reps, you know what kind of trends
are you seeing we'll ask the analysts,
what kind of trends you're seeing.
And then we'll bring up those issues with the utilities.
And then you know that the industry divisions within CPUC,
they are looking at this data that you are providing, again,
to see if there are areas of needed focus.
Thank you.
Amy: They are, they regularly asked me questions
about cases they're extremely responsive.
They've helped us in a couple of situations,
get the issue resolved for the consumer.
-: Yes, Commissioner Guzman Aceves.
-: Thank you, Amy and just to also reiterate,
the tremendous work that all the CAB reps do
and dealing most often with really frustrated people
that are facing a hard situation
so it's almost like social work I know it's very exhausting.
And if you could just reiterate our appreciation
for everything that they do every day.
You know, a couple of months ago when this COVID
first started a few months ago now.
We have a customer call us from Salinas
about his cell phone.
And I just wonder and your folks helped them kind of work
through that through multiple calls and then again,
when the problem was, came back up like a month later,
they really appreciate that.
I wonder even if, anecdotally if you have a sense of,
you know, I just feel like we have such great protections
as I've mentioned, none of our electricity, gas customers
are disconnected.
And we certainly can't say that for
the telco communication side.
And I wonder what kind of response
have you seen a change over the last few weeks?
I don't know if the pledges some of their pledges
may have expired President Batjer
and I sent a letter requesting kind of an update
on the status of their commitments during this time.
It's all over the place and I wonder do you see
a difference or are the companies still being responsive?
Are they reconnecting people?
Are they forgiving, late fees and getting people
on payment plans?
Or do you have any general sense on what
what if any changes you've seen from the telco side?
Amy: From the telco side,
I'd have to look into the data more
and get back to you on that one.
But definitely, the energy utilities have been
more flexible.
They've reduced payment or extended them to great lengths
and they've really gone above and beyond to reconnect people
who were disconnected even before the moratorium.
But the communications utilities most of the concerns about
are about outages which you know,
we've had a couple of cases where
they've been very responsive
they sent a crew out, they fix the issue right away.
-: Okay, are there any other,
any other questions or comments of Amy?
Yeah.
-: I don't have any questions but I just wanted
to echo Commissioner Guzman Aceves thanks to CAB.
That is a really, really hard job.
And I know it's very much appreciated by consumers
in the state that they have someone to call
and ask these questions and you know get some assistance
and get some help other than just from the utility.
So I just wanna thank again the folks who are
doing that work day in and day out.
Thank you.
-: Thank you.
And again Amy, thank you so much for your terrific work
and that of your team.
As I said you all are on the front line for consumers
and ratepayers and we so appreciate it.
Thank you.
Amy: Thank you.
-: These are these are definitely difficult times
and as we all know, the pandemic has altered our lives
in so many ways.
As people are trying to adjust to what we're calling
this new normal and appreciate that the CPUC is making sure
that residents are able to keep the lights on
and more easily get access to the internet for work
and for school.
And we are committed to meeting our core responsibility
of ensuring the safe delivery of our services
the Californians so rely on to conduct their daily lives.
And we would really again like to thank,
I would like to thank my fellow Commissioners,
thank all the CPUC staff for their dedication, hard work
and carrying out our mission.
These have been difficult times for all of us.
And I really do appreciate how hard everyone is working
and the adjustments they have made professionally
and personally.
Make sure we are carrying out our mission.
So once again, our deep thanks.
So thank you very much.
We will now move on to the Commissioners report.
And as I always say who would like to go first?
-: Okay, Commissioner Guzman Aceves.
-: Okay, thank you very much.
Just two quick updates.
One is just FYI next week,
we will have the state's broadband council meeting,
where we will continue to look at as the state agencies
what we can do for collective response to this moment.
So I will be updating you guys on that as
the meeting takes place after.
Also, I wanted to just recognize a retiree.
I learned of Charlotte Turkers to retirement recently
and I didn't know how long she'd worked at the Commission.
So I asked Jonathan to check in with Helen Miscavige,
who of course is the institutional no knows
much of everyone's history here.
And Helen said that when she got here,
Charlotte was already in ALJ at the CPUC
and that was back in 1986.
So I still don't know, but I'm guessing is probably
around 40 years that she's worked at the CPUC.
(indistinct)
-: Interrupting you. -: Yeah.
-: Your're going to cover some of
I'm gonna cover some of that shortly.
Oh, and you'll see like, you will find out the mystery
of when Charlotte started.
(laughs)
-: That's good well,
I'm glad because I've learned a lot about all the work
she's done and my advisors Julie,
were the ones who said, you know,
they have obviously worked with her and they just focus
how hard working intelligent, friendly and generous
she was always this good time.
So I wanna thank Charlotte and I'm really glad to hear
President Batjer that you'll be doing that as well for her,
her service and her graceful service
for the state of California.
And I look, I hope you enjoy your retirement
and as you much deserve it, thank you.
-: Okay, thank you Commissioner Guzman Aceves.
Yes Commissioner Shiroma.
-: Thank you.
Yes so as one of our public speakers
Professor Bloom indicated,
President Batjer and I attended a July 7 and 9
Energy Commission workshop on microgrids.
It's part of their series on their
integrated energy policy report.
The IEPR report, in this case.
Their chapter on microgrids and I do want to thank
Commissioner Junya Scott and also chair David Hokes
for hosting us and our very own Jessica Tees
for the microgrids team who is in the team
provided an update on where we are at the CPUC.
And as I mentioned before, we are into track two
of the proceedings and we have an August 5 workshop
coming up, all of this information for the viewing audience
is on our website as far as how to participate
and how to listen in on that workshop.
Our assigned judge, Judge columnnism
will be issuing a ruling soon with a track to staff proposal
which will have all a lot of good information in there
about this next step for the proceeding.
And also just want to do another reminder that
we will be doing a focus workshop on alternative
to diesel backup generation right
and that information will be forthcoming soon as far as
exact date, time, how to log on, how to participate.
Then I also want to share that on Friday, July 24
we have our next phase of
the wheelchair accessibility proceeding it's on track three.
And it'll go into what's called TNC offset requirements
is a transportation network company offset requirements,
how to access or how the fun dispersements should look
like going forward, reporting requirements and so forth.
So that'll be on July 24.
And gosh, I think that's it for me today.
Thank you.
-: You're always busy Commissioner Shiroma.
Thank you so much.
Next hey, Commissioner Rechtschaffen.
-: Thank you, I although it seems like a long time ago,
June 30, was not that long ago
and I do wanna take a moment to call out
the significant milestone that we passed
when PG&E avert for bankruptcy.
That of course was the date they were statutorily required
to do so and they accomplished that by getting approval
from the federal bankruptcy court for their plan
of reorganization, which substantially mirrored
the plan that we approved in May.
So, PG&E is now out of bankruptcy,
they made their contribution of nearly $5 billion
from their shareholders to the state's wildfire
fund established by AB 1054.
They brought in a new slate of board members.
They have new chief risk officer, new chief safety officer,
taking steps to establish regional districts designed
to bring those senior leadership closer to their customers,
and so forth.
So they're out and we should take a moment to call that out.
As we said, when we approved the bankruptcy decision,
this has been a long and difficult, challenging road.
The outcome may not be perfect or one that everyone
is the most satisfied for.
But it does protect ratepayers and consumers and put PG&E
on a path to becoming transformed in a safer
and more reliable utility, which is the bottom line for us.
So you should pause to recognize that
and I wanna give another round of thanks
to our legal division.
Our please argument our chief counsel Jeff Driven side
and Candace Morey, Ed Randolph and Michael Conklin
from the energy division,
Rachel Peterson and Elisa Malashenko from
the statement Enforcement Division who was so critical
in the legal proceedings.
Along with our very capable outside counsel
who represented us in bankruptcy court,
they have always steps ahead they protected our interests,
made sure that our climate policy and our other stakeholds
were were addressed and so I'm very,
very thankful that we're on the other side of June 30.
Secondly, I wanna remark on something that I think
we should continue to talk about going forward,
which is one of the side benefits of COVID
and hopefully that one that, alas, was that we've
had more indifferent types of public participation.
At our meetings, we're having more remote participation
from the public comment via conference line
at the voting meetings.
I think we've had more than we've had before.
Southern California Edison's generate case
had a public participation hearing,
chaired by Commissioner Shiroma,
where there were over 500 people I think,
that turned out for participation.
We wanna build on these and other successes as we go forward
and get back to normalcy whatever that is.
And while we're talking
about promoting public participation,
I do wanna put a plug in for the public to know that
you can participate electronically
and submit written comments on any of our proceedings
or our websites.
There are instructions for doing this
on our public advisors Office Web page
or you can type in public comments in the search window
on our website.
The first step will be the instruction.
It works we've tested it and we really are trying
to encourage a broader range of participation make it easier
for folks to participate in our processes this is one tool.
I wanna give a shout out too, Thank you.
-: And Commissioner Rechtschaffen thank you so much
for mentioning that historic event.
Not only our passage of the bankruptcy decision in May
but Pacific Gas and Electric coming across the line June 30.
We all it seemed anticlimactic that's so darn important.
And I personally wanna thank you as my Begley team,
partner in how hard you and your staff worked during
the period of time that you and I were working,
night and day, holidays, even on vacation
when I was skiing a little bit in Innsbruck
I just wanna thank you,
I could not I was new to the Commission
and we jumped right in and you've guided me and helped me
and taught me and I wanna thank you personally
and thank you for bringing it up because June 30
seems like a century ago already.
So thank you.
Commissioner Randolph.
-: I don't really have a report but I
and I know President Batjer
is gonna cover Charlotte's retirement but I just wanted to
take a moment to say how much I enjoyed working with her
as well she's always very knowledgeable and very pleasant
to work with and has been a great asset to the Commission
and we will miss her.
Thank you, and that reminds me how much I miss seeing people
in the halls of the building.
Because there are so many people that
you don't necessarily interact with on your proceedings
but that you always enjoy saying hello to you.
So I would take a moment to say how much I miss
all of the folks at the Commission.
-: Sorry, I didn't realize I was on mute.
I wanna also echo how much I'm miss seeing people
and being new to the Commission soon to be a year on.
I always meeting people for the first time hearing
their names and now I'm missing that terribly.
So thank you for reminding all of us have those times
when we if you learn so much just walking down the hall.
And so thank you for mentioning that Commissioner Randolph
And so I guess it's now my turn.
Last month I informed you all that
the Commission established
the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion working group
to be made up of staff from varying divisions
in levels of the organization to advise the Commission
on the organizational changes aim to achieve diversity,
equity, inclusion as a cultural
and institutional imperative
there at the Commission.
I will be announcing the members of the diversity Equity
and Inclusion working group in the next couple of days.
I've spoken to almost all of the invited participants
to the working group and I'm thrilled about their excitement
to be part of this group and the energy and thinking
they will bring to the table and their experience
their collective experience here at the PUC
as well as their personal experience in their lives.
The Commissioners and I are committed to ensuring
this organization is workplace where the values
are values of diversity and inclusion, equity,
permeate excuse me,
through our entire culture and our practices.
It creates where people are respected as individuals,
their ideas, their perspectives are heard
and their work at the Commission and contributions
to California are indeed valued.
We know that real lasting change will take time
and is an ongoing effort.
But I am excited for these well overdue
and important initiatives and activities
and I'm hoping that our first meeting of the working group,
if we can get it, get everyone's scheduled together.
We'll be indeed next week.
So I thank all of you for your help with forming
the group, the working group and much to be done.
So as Commissioner Shiroma said last week,
she and I attended the California Energy Commission, IPER
at microgrid workshop.
The workshop was incredibly educational and very,
very helpful to me.
I really appreciated the dialogue
really appreciated learning of some of the commercialization
of the microgrids.
Unfortunately had to miss some of the workshop that was able
to review the slides.
And really thank the Energy Commission Vice Chair Scott
and and for all of the work and putting together
such an excellent workshop.
And I know we'll be taking this all into account
as we ramp up for phase two of the microgrids
and resiliency proceeding.
And as we think through a larger question around the grid,
modernization and system planning.
So that was excellent and I so enjoyed your participation
as well Commissioner Shiroma.
I would also now like to take a moment to say a few words
about one of our outstanding colleagues, Lee Palmer,
the director of the safety Enforcement Division,
here at the CPUC.
As my Commissioner colleagues are aware,
along with leading SED,
Lee also served in the California National Guard
is a lieutenant colonel and commands
the 40th brigade Support Battalion
a battalion of 700 soldiers.
In April as the COVID-19 virus began to impact Los Angeles.
Governor Newsom activated the California National Guard
and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti requested
its presence there.
Lieutenant Colonel Palmer and his battalion were deployed
to Los Angeles, where they provided assistance
to emergency responders, nursing homes
and other essential workers on the front lines.
Lee and the 700 soldiers under his command were
in Los Angeles for over a month away from their families,
their communities and their jobs and reforming the duties
requested of them by our state and local leaders.
Additionally, Lee and his battalion were further called upon
at the City of Los Angeles to ensure the safety of life
and to protect the ability of Californians
to peacefully demonstrate in pursuit of social equality
and justice.
I would like to thank Lee for his service that he performs
on behalf of California imposes jobs leading SED
and as Lieutenant Colonel Palmer.
I deeply appreciate Lee's commitment and the sacrifices
he has made.
Thank you Lee, very, very much.
Talking about Lee, gives me an additional opportunity
to talk about Charlotte.
A long time CUPC employee already mentioned by
two of my Commissioners today.
She retired as of June 30, drumroll.
(chuckles)
Since 2014, Charlotte led
the electric safety and reliability branch in SED.
Because of her deep experience with SED,
Lee tapped her to provide critical support and leadership
during his National Guard deployment.
But long before that, Charlotte had already proved herself
to be one of those invaluable employees,
who was an asset in a number of different jobs
as the Commission.
Charlotte first came to the Commission in 1980.
After earning a master's degree in Electrical Engineering
at the University of Illinois.
She started in the energy division
and was a staff witness testifying
about the first commercial wind energy project
in California.
Charlotte served as an advisor for Commissioner Vic Calvo
during the first Governor Brown administration.
She served more recently as Chief of Staff
for Commissioner Mark Theron and then Interim Chief of Staff
for Commissioner Michael Picker,
both during the second Brown administration,
so she belongs to the rarefied group of people who served
at the CPUC under both the first and second administration
of Governor Jerry Brown.
Charlotte also was an Administrative Law Judge
and an assistant chief ALJ at the Commission.
She handled primarily communications, electricity
and transmission cases and help develop joint CPUC
and California Energy Commission recommendations
regarding our CAB and trade program
for greenhouse gas emissions.
She also serves in Assistant Chief ALJ for several years,
Charlotte, from all of us at the CUPC.
I wish you the best in your retirement
and thank you for your years of service to the people
of the state of California.
Thank you, thank you.
Thank you so much Charlotte.
Come visit when we're all back together again.
So I now want to turn to an another announcement.
Very exciting announcement long incoming
and that is a big CPUC welcome to Kenneth Holbrook.
Kenneth was appointed by Governor Newsom
as our new tribal advisor and was sworn in last week
by Commissioner Guzman Aceves and myself.
It was a lovely ceremony.
Ken will help us strengthen our engagement with tribes
and ensure that their interests are represented in our work
and served as president of the native forest Resources Inc
since 2019 was the executive director of
the Maidu Summit Consortium from 2012 to 2019.
He's the founding member and vice president of Tasman.
Sorry, Martha, you're going to help me pronounce
it correctly.
-: Tasman.
-: Can you repronounce that soundation.
-: Tasmam, Tasman (indistinct)
-: Thank you so much and served
as a chief information officer
and director of the board of Native Land Trust Council.
So thank you and welcome big welcome to Ken
we so look forward to working with you.
So with that, my management excuse me,
my Commission report is in finalized.
So I if there's nothing else
Oh, I am so sorry you know what?
I skipped two important people that also wanted to make
some comments on Charlotte.
So Eric, please.
General Counsel, would you like to say a few words?
Eric: Sure thank you, President Batjer and I know
the meetings going long,
so I'll try to be quick.
But I just really wanted to stress how,
what to such a not only a wonderful person, Charlotte,
is that people have already commented on.
But she really represents the best of what public service
is all about.
And she served in many different capacities
at the Commission and you've kind of went
through her experience there.
And I had the pleasure of interacting with her
in those various roles over the years.
And she was just an incredible partner in
the regulatory work of the Commission.
She you know, worked hard she was conscientious
she had tremendous expertise
and was always calm during the storm
and had a lot of has a lot of grace.
But she also was able to be firm
and her positions on things.
And I think these retirements that are happening
under COVID-19 are challenging because
we can't really set people the way
we would like and there's been several retirements
and there's some coming of some other long term employees
of the PUC who've really contributed greatly
to our institution and we did do a retirement set
for Charlotte and it was a virtual one
with a lot of participants including
former Commissioner Mark Ferran and it was a lot of fun.
Not quite as good as being able to do it in person
but it still was a great way to honor Charlotte.
So anyway, that was it.
I just wanted to recognize her for years of public service
and she will definitely be missed here at the Commission.
-: Thank you very Eric now turn to Anne Simon chief ALJ.
Simon: Thank you, President Batjer.
Charlotte Turkers was one of the first friends
I made when I came to the Commission.
I was new to the Commission.
She was returning to the Commission from a few years
in the Midwest serving on the at
the Missouri Public Utilities Commission in Illinois.
And she then came back to our Commission
and and she and I found ourselves
in the same windowless room in HR filling out forms
on the same day and kind of struck up a friendship
which has been very valuable to me ever since.
What I would like to say about Charlotte at work
is that she brought her A game every day.
And that example of seriousness
and kind of direct involvement with the work
all the time was an inspiration to everyone around her
and serves to help make everyone who worked
with her work better.
And I will miss her at work
and wish her the best in retirement.
-: There we go, thank you.
Thank you very much Anne that was inspiring.
Thank you.
So if there is no other comment that finishes
our Commissioner reports and this public meeting
is now adjourned.
Thank you all very much.
You need to log off your computers and dial into
the WebEx event for the closed session on legal matters.
Thank you all.