Equity Workshop on Long-Term Gas Planning Rulemaking

On March 8, 2022 Energy Division staff served notice of an Equity workshop on March 29, 2022 from 9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.  This workshop will address equity challenges relating to the gas transition, with perspectives from a number of California communities.

March 29, 2022, 9:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.: Equity Workshop

• Meeting link: https://cpuc.webex.com/cpuc/j.php?MTID=m13f1e2cf4a59b7d89ec535828e85c49a
  • Password: equity
• Dial-in: 1-855-282-6330
  • Access code: 249 739 08390

The workshop will be recorded by the Commission and will be posted on R.20-01-007’s Website. This is not the first nor the last workshop for this rulemaking.  While Energy Division staff has prepared workshop reports/summaries for the prior events in this proceeding, moving forward, this ruling notices that such task be defaulted to the gas utility parties to this proceeding.  For the Equity Workshop on March 29, 2022, Southwest Gas shall coordinate with the Commission’s Energy Division to produce a draft and final workshop report on the issues discussed.  Southwest Gas shall file a draft workshop report by May 6, 2022.  Once filed, the ALJ will establish a comment schedule for parties to provide feedback on.  Future workshop reports will have a designated gas utility responsible for filing a draft workshop report.  Finally, all future workshop reports shall follow the format of the previous reports in this proceeding.

On January 27, 2020, the Commission issued an Order Instituting Rulemaking (OIR) to respond to past and prospective events that together will require changes to certain policies, processes, and rules that govern the natural gas utilities in California. With respect to past events, several operational issues in Southern California prompt the Commission to reconsider the reliability and compliance standards for gas public utilities. Over the next 25 years, state and municipal laws concerning greenhouse gas emissions will result in the replacement of gas-fueled technologies and, in turn, reduce the demand for natural gas.

Senate Bill (SB) 350 (de León, Chapter 547, 2015) requires the CPUC to focus energy procurement decisions on reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 40 percent by 2030, including efforts to achieve at least 50 percent renewable energy procurement, doubling of energy efficiency, and promoting transportation electrification.