Chapter 3 - Department Powers

California Water Code — §§ 80820-80828

Sections (10)

Added by Stats. 2023, Ch. 367, Sec. 15. (AB 1373) Effective October 7, 2023.

(a)(1) Consistent with Sections 380, 454.51, 454.52, 454.53, and 454.54 of the Public Utilities Code and this division, if the commission requests the department to procure eligible energy resources, and the department elects to exercise its central procurement function to conduct one or more competitive solicitations or enter into contracts for eligible energy resources pursuant to paragraph (4) of subdivision (a) of Section 454.52 of the Public Utilities Code, the commission, in consultation with the department, shall develop and adopt procedures and requirements that govern competitive procurement by, obligations on, and recovery of costs incurred by the department pursuant to this division.
(2)The commission and

the department shall establish a procurement group to advise the department on the procurement undertaken pursuant to this division.

(3)The department shall not enter into new contracts pursuant to this division on or after January 1, 2035.
(b)In evaluating the bids received through a solicitation, the department shall consider all of the following:
(1)For eligible energy resources dependent on the development of a project, that project’s viability, including, but not limited to, developer experience, developer financial strength and creditworthiness sufficient to eliminate financing contingencies, and the status of required permits and licenses, including a commitment to submit a consistency certification provided pursuant to the federal Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. Sec. 1451 et seq.) to the

California Coastal Commission for offshore wind energy development projects, to the extent required.

(2)The ability to meet in-service dates offered during the solicitation and the ability to meet those in-service dates without escalation in cost.
(3)The useful life of the project.
(4)The capability to supply energy, capacity, and ancillary services at locations, times of day, and for durations that meet the state’s energy resource needs, as determined by the department and the commission.
(5)The bidder’s economic and local community impact, workforce development needs and opportunities, environmental impact mitigation plan, and equipment acquisition and supply chain investment plan.
(6)A plan to contribute to large-scale, regional, or statewide baseline and ongoing monitoring of coastal waters and wildlife, if applicable.
(7)Any other criteria determined by the commission or the department.
(c)Every bid for the development of an eligible energy resource project selected by the department shall include the bidder’s certification that either of the following are true:
(1)The entirety of the construction of the eligible energy resource project is a public work for purposes of Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 1720) of Part 7 of Division 2 of the Labor Code.
(2)The construction of the eligible energy resource project is not in its entirety a public work for which prevailing wages are required to be paid pursuant to

Article 1 (commencing with Section 1720) of Chapter 1 of Part 7 of Division 2 of the Labor Code, but all construction workers employed on the project will be paid at least the general prevailing rate of per diem wages for the type of work and geographic area, as determined by the Director of Industrial Relations pursuant to Sections 1773 and 1773.9 of the Labor Code, except that apprentices registered in programs approved by the Chief of the Division of Apprenticeship Standards may be paid at least the applicable apprentice prevailing rate. If the eligible energy resource project is subject to this paragraph, for those portions of the eligible energy resource project that are not a public work, all of the following requirements shall apply:

(A)The bidder shall ensure that the prevailing wage requirement is included in all contracts for the performance of all construction work.
(B)All contractors and subcontractors shall pay to all construction workers employed in the construction of the eligible energy resource project at least the general prevailing rate of per diem wages, except that apprentices registered in programs approved by the Chief of the Division of Apprenticeship Standards may be paid at least the applicable apprentice prevailing rate.
(C)All contractors and subcontractors performing construction work on the eligible energy resource project shall employ apprentices at no less than the ratio required in Section 1777.5 of the Labor Code.
(D)Except as specified in subparagraph (F), all contractors and subcontractors performing construction work shall maintain and verify payroll records pursuant to Section 1776 of the Labor Code, make those records available for inspection and copying pursuant to Section 1776 of the Labor Code,

and furnish those payroll records to the Labor Commissioner pursuant to Section 1771.4 of the Labor Code.

(E)Except as specified in subparagraph (F), the obligation of the contractors and subcontractors to pay prevailing wages and employ apprentices may be enforced by the Labor Commissioner through the issuance of a civil wage and penalty assessment pursuant to Section 1741 of the Labor Code, which may be reviewed pursuant to Section 1742 of the Labor Code, within 18 months after the completion of the project, by an underpaid worker through an administrative complaint or civil action, or by a joint labor-management committee though a civil action pursuant to Section 1771.2 of the Labor Code. If a civil wage and penalty assessment is issued, the contractor, subcontractor, and surety on a bond issued to secure the payment of wages covered by the assessment shall be liable for liquidated damages pursuant to Section 1742.1 of the Labor Code.
(F)Subparagraphs (D) and (E) do not apply if all contractors and subcontractors performing construction work on the eligible energy resource project are subject to a project labor agreement. The project labor agreement shall also include, but not be limited to, all of the following requirements:
(i)Provisions requiring payment of prevailing wages to all construction workers employed in the construction of the eligible energy resource project and for enforcement of that obligation through an arbitration procedure.

(ii) Targeted hiring provisions, including a targeted hiring plan, on a craft-by-craft basis to address job access for local, disadvantaged, or underrepresented workers, as defined by a relevant local agency.

(iii) Apprenticeship use provisions

that commit all parties to increasing the share of work performed by state-registered apprentices above the state-mandated minimum ratio required in Section 1777.5 of the Labor Code.

(iv) Apprenticeship use provisions that commit all parties to hiring and retaining a certain percentage of state-registered apprentices that have completed the multicraft core preapprenticeship training curriculum described in Section 14005 of the Unemployment Insurance Code.

(d)Every bid for the development of an eligible energy resource project selected by the department shall include the bidder’s certification that a skilled and trained workforce will be used to perform all construction work on the eligible energy resource project, consistent with all of the following requirements:
(1)The bidder shall require in all contracts for

the performance of work that every contractor and subcontractor at every tier will individually use a skilled and trained workforce to construct the eligible energy resource project.

(2)Every contractor and subcontractor shall use a skilled and trained workforce to construct the eligible energy resource project.
(3)Except as specified in subdivision (c), contractors and subcontractors that fail to use a skilled and trained workforce shall be subject to the penalties provided in Section 2603 of the Public Contract Code. Penalties for a contractor’s or subcontractor’s failure to comply with the requirement to use a skilled and trained workforce may be assessed by the Labor Commissioner within 18 months of completion of the project using the same procedures for issuance of civil wage and penalty assessments pursuant to Section 2603 of the Public Contract Code. Penalties shall be

paid to the State Public Works Enforcement Fund.

(4)For purposes of this subdivision, a bidder shall be considered to be an “awarding body” under Chapter 2.9 (commencing with Section 2600) of Part 1 of Division 2 of the Public Contract Code. Except as specified in paragraph (5), the bidder shall retain records, including copies of monthly reports, that demonstrate compliance with Chapter 2.9 (commencing with Section 2600) of Part 1 of Division 2 of the Public Contract Code while the eligible energy resource project or contract is being performed and for three years after completion of the eligible energy resource project or contract. The bidder shall submit these records immediately upon request of the commission. When submitted to the commission, these records shall be a public record under the California Public Records Act (Division 10 (commencing with Section 7920.000) of Title 1 of the Government Code) and shall be open to public

inspection.

(5)Paragraphs (3) and (4) do not apply if all contractors and subcontractors performing work on the eligible energy resource project are subject to a project labor agreement. The project labor agreement shall also include, but not be limited to, all of the following requirements:
(A)Provisions requiring compliance with the skilled and trained workforce requirement and for enforcement of that obligation through an arbitration procedure.
(B)Targeted hiring provisions, including a targeted hiring plan, on a craft-by-craft basis to address job access for local, disadvantaged, or underrepresented workers, as defined by a local agency.
(C)Apprenticeship use provisions that commit all parties to increasing the share of work performed by

state-registered apprentices above the state-mandated minimum ratio required by Section 1777.5 of the Labor Code.

(D)Apprenticeship use provisions that commit all parties to hiring and retaining a certain percentage of state-registered apprentices that have completed the Multi-Craft Core preapprenticeship training curriculum described in Section 14005 of the Unemployment Insurance Code.
(e)For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:
(1)“Construction” means any new construction work and subsequent construction and construction maintenance work following initial completion that is contracted out to a contractor in the construction industry, including construction work on a barge, construction staging area, or construction area when being used as a construction work platform and the rigging and

hoisting of construction materials directly from a barge, construction staging area, or construction area into the construction process for a construction project. “Construction” does not include the loading and unloading of cargo to and from vessels and the movement of cargo to and from vessels at any port facility to the cargo’s point of rest.

(2)“Project labor agreement” has the same meaning as defined in Section 2500 of the Public Contract Code.
(3)“Skilled and trained workforce” has the same meaning as defined in Section 2601 of the Public Contract Code.

Added by Stats. 2023, Ch. 367, Sec. 15. (AB 1373) Effective October 7, 2023.

(a)(1) When conducting a solicitation pursuant to Section 80820, the department shall confer with the commission and other parties, including local publicly owned electric utilities that are voluntarily participating pursuant to Section 80822 and load-serving entities, for eligible energy resource procurement activities of an identified scope and duration. The department shall recover costs related to conducting the requested solicitations and all supporting work. Cost recovery may be effectuated, if determined to be just and reasonable by the commission before the procurement, through a nonbypassable charge approval process for load-serving entities and pursuant to Section 80822 for local publicly owned electric utilities.
(2)At the request of the department, the commission may require an electrical corporation to act as the agent of the department or to assist the department in conducting the solicitation, bid evaluation, or contract negotiation for new eligible energy resource procurement. The electrical corporation shall be reimbursed by the department for its reasonable costs, as determined by the commission.
(b)If the department’s costs associated with the procurement of eligible energy resources pursuant to this division, including the costs related to bonds issued pursuant to Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 80840), costs related to contracting for eligible energy resources, and other costs to implement and administer this division, will be recovered through a commission proceeding, the commission shall review the procurement undertaken pursuant to this division and, if approved, issue an order governing the recovery of the department’s

costs before the consummation of the contract only if both of the following conditions are satisfied:

(1)The recovery of the department’s costs, including those costs associated with the procurement process, the resulting transactions, and the associated costs, has been found to be just and reasonable and to be in the public interest.
(2)The recovery of the department’s costs, including, if authorized, costs associated with the issuance of bonds and the material terms of those bonds, including, without limitation, interest rates, rating, amortization, and maturity, through charges on customers does not unreasonably increase costs to customers on a net present value basis.
(c)If the commission determines that a nonbypassable charge necessary to fund activities conducted by the department pursuant to this division

is just and reasonable, the department shall ensure it has entered into an agreement with the commission for that nonbypassable charge before it begins to incur costs related to a specific activity under this division. If the purpose of the nonbypassable charge is to recover the department’s revenue requirement related to bond issuance debt service, the department shall ensure the agreement has the force and effect of an irrevocable financing order adopted in accordance with Article 5.5 (commencing with Section 840) of Chapter 4 of Part 1 of Division 1 of the Public Utilities Code or that the commission has separately issued an irrevocable financing order related to the nonbypassable charge.

(d)Any agreement between the department and the commission under this section shall provide for the administration of the nonbypassable charge, including both of the following requirements:
(1)The department shall notify the commission each year of the annual collections received by the department and the amount of any excess or deficiency in collections above or below the revenue requirement. The commission shall adjust charges in the subsequent year to reflect that excess or deficiency.
(2)During any period, if the department forecasts that the revenue requirement for that period will not be met and that collections will not be sufficient to fund the revenue requirement established pursuant to Section 80842, the department shall notify the commission in writing and the commission shall act within 60 days of receiving that notice to increase the nonbypassable charge so that the amounts collected during that period are sufficient to meet those obligations.
(e)Any agreement between the department and the commission pursuant to this section that is

solely for the purpose of imposing a nonbypassable charge to recover the department’s revenue requirement related to bond issuance debt service shall include a provision stating that the commission’s just and reasonable determination with respect to the revenue requirement is in effect for the duration of the bond term.

Added by Stats. 2023, Ch. 367, Sec. 15. (AB 1373) Effective October 7, 2023.

(a)Pursuant to Section 80820, the department may establish a schedule and mechanism for a local publicly owned electric utility to voluntarily obtain from the department eligible energy resources to be acquired by the department through its central procurement function on a contract-by-contract basis.
(b)In order to voluntarily participate, a local publicly owned electric utility shall commit to the imposition of a nonbypassable charge on its ratepayers sufficient at all times to fund its participation and on terms and conditions as set forth in Section 80826.

Added by Stats. 2023, Ch. 367, Sec. 15. (AB 1373) Effective October 7, 2023.

(a)Load-serving entities shall have a voluntary option to obtain incremental eligible energy resources from the department beyond the amounts allocated to the load-serving entity from procurement pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 80820, subject to the approval of the commission and a specific determination by the commission that sufficient capacity is available to accommodate the request to obtain amounts beyond those allocated to the load-serving entity.
(b)The department, in consultation with the commission, may establish a schedule for load-serving entities to provide advance notice of an intent to obtain incremental eligible energy resources. Any load-serving entity exercising its option to voluntarily

participate shall be obligated to impose a nonbypassable charge on its ratepayers sufficient to fund its allocated share of the costs of incremental eligible energy resources for the duration of the contract, as determined by the department and approved by the commission, if applicable.

Added by Stats. 2023, Ch. 367, Sec. 15. (AB 1373) Effective October 7, 2023.

At the request of the department, the commission may order an electrical corporation, or its successor in the performance of a related service, to transmit or provide for the transmission of, and distribute all electricity made available by the department, and, as agent of the department, provide billing, collection, and other related services on terms and conditions that reasonably compensate the electrical corporation for its services and adequately secure payment to the department.

Added by Stats. 2023, Ch. 367, Sec. 15. (AB 1373) Effective October 7, 2023.

The commission may issue rules regulating the enforcement of the agency function pursuant to Section 80823, including the collection of nonbypassable charges and payment into the fund on behalf of the department.

Added by Stats. 2023, Ch. 367, Sec. 15. (AB 1373) Effective October 7, 2023.

(a)If the department has executed an agreement with the commission pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 80821, the department may recover its costs, as a revenue requirement, in the amounts sufficient and at the times necessary to fund the revenue requirement established pursuant to Section 80842, and shall advise the commission and each voluntarily participating local publicly owned electric utility, as the department determines to be appropriate and subject to the terms of the agreement.
(b)For purposes of this division and except as otherwise provided in subdivision (a), the commission’s authority as set forth in Section 451 of the Public Utilities Code shall apply.

Added by Stats. 2023, Ch. 367, Sec. 15. (AB 1373) Effective October 7, 2023.

(a)A local publicly owned electric utility that voluntarily participates in the department’s central procurement function pursuant to Section 80822 shall enter into an agreement with the department for the revenue requirement to fund its participation and that agreement shall have the force and effect of an irrevocable financing order.
(b)The agreement shall provide for the administration of the revenue requirement, including both of the following:
(1)A requirement that the department annually notify the local publicly owned electric utility of the annual collections received by the department with respect to the revenue requirement and the amount of any excess or deficiency

in collections above or below the revenue requirement. The local publicly owned electric utility shall adjust charges in the subsequent year to reflect any such excess or deficiency.

(2)During any revenue requirement period, a requirement that, if the department forecasts that the revenue requirement for that period will not be met and that collections will not be sufficient to fund the revenue requirement established pursuant to Section 80842, the department notify the local publicly owned electric utility in writing and the local publicly owned electric utility shall act within 30 days of receiving that notice to increase the charge so that the amount collected during the period is sufficient to meet those obligations.

Added by Stats. 2023, Ch. 367, Sec. 15. (AB 1373) Effective October 7, 2023.

All moneys collected by load-serving entities and local publicly owned electric utilities and remitted to the department for any eligible energy resources acquired and sold pursuant to this division, and all moneys paid directly or indirectly to or for the account of the department for any sale, exchange, transfer, or disposition of eligible energy resources acquired pursuant to this division, shall be deposited into the fund.

Added by Stats. 2023, Ch. 367, Sec. 15. (AB 1373) Effective October 7, 2023.

The department may fix and establish the procedure and charges for the sale or other disposal of eligible energy resources purchased by the department.