WEBVTT 00:00:02.140 --> 00:00:04.849 Welcome to the California Public Utilities Commission 00:00:04.849 --> 00:00:09.689 Business meeting of March 12, 2020. Public agenda 00:00:09.880 --> 00:00:15.650 number 3458 to order. Will everyone please join me 00:00:15.660 --> 00:00:20.179 in the Pledge of Allegiance? 00:00:20.179 --> 00:00:23.649 I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States 00:00:23.649 --> 00:00:27.519 of America, and to the republic for which it stands, 00:00:27.850 --> 00:00:31.539 one nation, under God, indivisible 00:00:31.539 --> 00:00:38.320 with liberty and justice for all. 00:00:38.320 --> 00:00:42.700 Thank you. And I want to note, for emergency purposes, 00:00:42.700 --> 00:00:46.899 the following. Please exit out the marked exit 00:00:46.899 --> 00:00:50.619 doors, and continue outside until clear of this building. 00:00:51.119 --> 00:00:56.240 Executive Director Alice Stebbins will call 911, if needed. 00:00:56.770 --> 00:01:00.130 Alice Stebbins and Anita Hill are certified to perform 00:01:00.140 --> 00:01:06.390 CPR also, if that is needed. Before we get to the business 00:01:06.390 --> 00:01:10.120 meeting today, I'd like to address something that 00:01:10.120 --> 00:01:14.129 has been on the minds of many. The Coronavirus and 00:01:14.140 --> 00:01:20.260 its impact. Also, COVID-19 and its impact on 00:01:20.260 --> 00:01:23.879 what we do. All of us, my fellow Commissioners, here 00:01:23.890 --> 00:01:28.209 and our leadership team in each of our offices understand 00:01:28.209 --> 00:01:32.769 how unsettling the news has been lately. We know people 00:01:32.769 --> 00:01:36.609 are concerned. We're doing everything we can to implement 00:01:36.609 --> 00:01:40.700 best practices, focus on the health and safety of our 00:01:40.700 --> 00:01:46.000 staff, and strategically plan ahead as each day brings 00:01:46.010 --> 00:01:49.959 new challenges. Just last evening, Governor Newsom 00:01:49.969 --> 00:01:53.299 and the state public health officials announced new 00:01:53.299 --> 00:01:56.659 recommendations that affect large gatherings across 00:01:56.659 --> 00:02:01.439 the state. They recommend postponing or canceling events 00:02:01.439 --> 00:02:05.930 with more than 250 attendees until at least the end 00:02:05.939 --> 00:02:10.280 of March. These guidelines are another effort to help 00:02:10.280 --> 00:02:14.210 reduce the spread of Coronavirus and keep our communities 00:02:14.210 --> 00:02:18.810 safe. Just this morning, our management team has reviewed 00:02:18.810 --> 00:02:23.009 the latest guidelines and is taking steps to implement 00:02:23.009 --> 00:02:26.849 those recommendations. For all our upcoming public 00:02:27.060 --> 00:02:32.039 meetings at the CPUC, it is important to point out 00:02:32.050 --> 00:02:35.229 that many of the functions of the CPUC are 00:02:35.229 --> 00:02:38.189 critical to keeping the continuity of government here 00:02:38.189 --> 00:02:41.810 in California, whether it's the important daily railroad 00:02:41.819 --> 00:02:45.060 inspections that help keep commerce flowing, or the 00:02:45.060 --> 00:02:48.319 many proceedings underway that ensure the safety of 00:02:48.319 --> 00:02:53.340 our residents. We play a critical role, even though 00:02:53.340 --> 00:02:56.219 the way in which we accomplish our work may change 00:02:56.229 --> 00:02:59.930 in the face of the coronavirus. The critical functions 00:02:59.939 --> 00:03:03.520 of the Commission will continue. We have an extremely 00:03:03.520 --> 00:03:06.900 talented and dedicated workforce that is rising to 00:03:06.900 --> 00:03:10.530 the challenge day by day. The Commission will continue 00:03:10.530 --> 00:03:14.509 to evaluate and appropriately implement various options 00:03:14.689 --> 00:03:18.900 as the situation evolves, such as remote access for 00:03:18.900 --> 00:03:22.689 meetings and expanded telecommuting for employees to 00:03:22.689 --> 00:03:26.360 ensure the continuity of critical functions and the 00:03:26.370 --> 00:03:30.659 oversight of essential utility services. We are also 00:03:30.659 --> 00:03:33.909 utilizing social media to remind the public how to 00:03:33.909 --> 00:03:38.259 comment on proceedings through means other than attending 00:03:38.270 --> 00:03:43.400 a meeting in person. Internally, the CPUC Executive 00:03:43.400 --> 00:03:47.219 Management team meets daily to discuss the latest guidance 00:03:47.219 --> 00:03:50.599 provided by health officials and identify any issues 00:03:50.599 --> 00:03:53.949 and concerns that need to be addressed expeditiously. 00:03:55.439 --> 00:03:58.830 We have implemented several added safety measures throughout 00:03:58.840 --> 00:04:02.310 the CPUC. Here are some of the examples of what we are 00:04:02.310 --> 00:04:05.650 doing: increasing the frequency of cleaning of the commonly 00:04:05.650 --> 00:04:08.900 used areas, ensuring resources are available for 00:04:08.909 --> 00:04:12.969 increased hand washing and use of hand sanitizers, 00:04:13.409 --> 00:04:16.160 distributing best practices to protect against the 00:04:16.160 --> 00:04:20.449 spread of viruses, providing access to the up-to-date 00:04:20.459 --> 00:04:24.000 resources of official information, considering all 00:04:24.000 --> 00:04:27.839 viable options for telework and flexible work schedules 00:04:27.839 --> 00:04:32.329 for individuals considered at greatest risk, encouraging 00:04:32.329 --> 00:04:35.509 employees to pay attention to their health and stay 00:04:35.509 --> 00:04:39.259 home if they're ill, implementing local and state health 00:04:39.269 --> 00:04:43.040 protocols if an employee has tested positive for COVID-19, 00:04:43.040 --> 00:04:47.040 and adhering to travel warnings issued by the United 00:04:47.040 --> 00:04:51.170 States State Department. The CPUC will continue to monitor 00:04:51.410 --> 00:04:55.069 this fast changing situation and will communicate with 00:04:55.069 --> 00:04:59.360 our staff, as well as the public, of the protocol changes 00:04:59.519 --> 00:05:01.970 that would impact the operations of the Commission's 00:05:01.980 --> 00:05:04.339 business. 00:05:04.339 --> 00:05:08.790 Okay, we will now turn to public comment. I will add 00:05:08.790 --> 00:05:10.910 that the Governor will be having a press conference 00:05:10.910 --> 00:05:15.009 at 10:30 which might also add to some of the information 00:05:15.350 --> 00:05:18.560 that we will be imparting to our employees later today. 00:05:18.889 --> 00:05:22.730 So we will now turn to public comment. The Commission 00:05:23.089 --> 00:05:27.000 provides two, I will say three minutes today, to each 00:05:27.000 --> 00:05:30.040 speaker. There will be a sign held up in the front, 00:05:30.040 --> 00:05:34.089 where is our signed today? Thank you. To alert you 00:05:34.089 --> 00:05:37.100 when you have one minute remaining. If you have written 00:05:37.100 --> 00:05:40.600 comments, please hand them to Executive Director Alice 00:05:40.600 --> 00:05:44.920 Stebbin, who is seated right here in front. CPUC rules 00:05:44.920 --> 00:05:48.339 do not allow for parties in proceedings to speak about 00:05:48.350 --> 00:05:51.970 open proceedings. The public can make comments addressing 00:05:51.980 --> 00:05:56.060 items on the consent and regular agendas and including 00:05:56.069 --> 00:06:00.339 items not on the agenda. Please note that there will 00:06:00.339 --> 00:06:03.269 be, there will not, please note, excuse me, that there 00:06:03.269 --> 00:06:09.250 will not be public comment on items 15 and 21 and any item 00:06:09.259 --> 00:06:14.519 on the Closed Session agenda. Okay. 00:06:14.519 --> 00:06:17.970 Do we? I don't have the, oh, here. I'm sorry. I do 00:06:17.970 --> 00:06:23.319 have the list. I'm Jim Cramer. Are you here? Hi, Mr 00:06:23.319 --> 00:06:28.180 Cramer. 00:06:28.180 --> 00:06:31.720 Good morning. Morning. My name is Jim Cramer. I'm a 00:06:31.720 --> 00:06:34.870 concerned citizen in Davis. I appreciate your meeting 00:06:34.870 --> 00:06:38.620 here in Sacramento. Since retiring as a Professor of 00:06:38.620 --> 00:06:41.800 Demography at UC Davis, I've turned my attention to 00:06:41.810 --> 00:06:45.449 mitigating climate change with special focus on the 00:06:45.459 --> 00:06:49.439 energy sector. I'm here to speak on agenda item 13, 00:06:49.769 --> 00:06:53.389 proposed decision on adoption of avoided cost methodology. 00:06:54.220 --> 00:06:57.819 I'm here today to urge you, as Commissioners, to assure 00:06:58.089 --> 00:07:00.620 that the different proceedings work together to meet 00:07:00.620 --> 00:07:04.470 California's clean energy goals. Specifically, California 00:07:04.470 --> 00:07:07.569 energy planning should incorporate as soon as possible 00:07:07.899 --> 00:07:11.300 the substantial value of unspecified transmission 00:07:11.300 --> 00:07:14.769 costs that will be avoided by the use of local clean 00:07:14.769 --> 00:07:18.600 energy generation. There is clear evidence that the 00:07:18.600 --> 00:07:23.350 value is substantial. Local clean energy, or DER, 00:07:23.350 --> 00:07:26.129 has a proven record of eliminating the need for new 00:07:26.129 --> 00:07:30.389 transmission investment For example, growth in DER 00:07:30.389 --> 00:07:35.209 led Kaiso to cancel $2.6 billion in unneeded transmission 00:07:35.209 --> 00:07:40.139 projects in 2017-18 alone, due primarily to energy 00:07:40.139 --> 00:07:43.850 efficiency programs and increasing levels of residential 00:07:43.850 --> 00:07:48.009 rooftop solar generation. Ratepayers saved not just 00:07:48.009 --> 00:07:51.709 the 2.6 billion in initial capital costs, but also 00:07:51.709 --> 00:07:55.480 tens of billions of dollars in future returns on equity 00:07:55.480 --> 00:07:59.129 payments, operations and maintenance costs by the transmission 00:07:59.139 --> 00:08:03.370 owners. Given accelerating California electricity rates 00:08:03.370 --> 00:08:07.069 caused in part by increasing transmission costs, the 00:08:07.069 --> 00:08:10.860 urgency of the climate crisis, our experience of wildfires 00:08:10.860 --> 00:08:14.060 and power shut offs, and the vulnerability of large 00:08:14.060 --> 00:08:17.839 infrastructure to terrorism and hijackers. Given 00:08:17.839 --> 00:08:20.519 all this, the Commission should be doing everything 00:08:20.519 --> 00:08:24.740 in its power to accelerate local clean, resilient energy. 00:08:25.110 --> 00:08:29.079 Whether on rooftops, on microgrids or on the distribution 00:08:29.079 --> 00:08:33.710 grid. Can you assure the Republic that between this 00:08:33.710 --> 00:08:37.879 PD and the IDER proceedings that the Commission 00:08:37.879 --> 00:08:41.399 will be will include this major documented financial 00:08:41.399 --> 00:08:46.250 benefit of local clean energy in its planning, specifically 00:08:46.259 --> 00:08:49.590 in the avoided cost calculator as well as the locational 00:08:49.590 --> 00:08:53.190 net benefits assessment. I urge that the Commission 00:08:53.190 --> 00:08:56.509 direct Energy Division staff to develop new estimates 00:08:56.519 --> 00:09:00.559 for marginal transmission costs and to use the marginal 00:09:00.559 --> 00:09:04.139 distribution costs currently used to build ratepayers 00:09:04.149 --> 00:09:07.659 in the general rate cases. If you have a method which 00:09:07.659 --> 00:09:11.049 you use for charging ratepayers, should that not also 00:09:11.049 --> 00:09:14.620 apply to estimating the benefit ratepayers would derive 00:09:14.730 --> 00:09:18.970 from avoiding transmission? Energy Division staff and 00:09:18.970 --> 00:09:22.340 the parties can continue to come up with a more refined 00:09:22.340 --> 00:09:25.769 calculation. But in the meantime, the Commission should 00:09:25.769 --> 00:09:29.320 take a proactive iterative approach to support local 00:09:29.320 --> 00:09:33.600 clean energy. We need the California grid to be affordable, 00:09:33.610 --> 00:09:38.600 resilient, environmentally sound and safe. Please take 00:09:38.600 --> 00:09:42.070 the responsibility to assure coordination between the 00:09:42.070 --> 00:09:45.669 proceedings, so that the substantial value of transmission 00:09:45.669 --> 00:09:49.110 costs that will be avoided by the use of local clean 00:09:49.110 --> 00:09:53.409 energy generation is incorporated this year. Delaying 00:09:53.409 --> 00:09:56.779 the two years until the next ACC cycle is unacceptable 00:09:56.779 --> 00:09:59.562 for ratepayers and the environment. Thank you. 00:09:59.587 --> 00:10:03.370 Thank you, Mr. Kramer, 00:10:03.370 --> 00:10:05.899 Is there anyone else who would like to address the 00:10:05.899 --> 00:10:10.909 Commission at this time? 00:10:10.909 --> 00:10:13.539 Anyone? 00:10:13.539 --> 00:10:17.269 Okay, thank you. I would like to thank Mr Kramer and 00:10:17.440 --> 00:10:20.480 for sharing his concerns and make sure that there's 00:10:20.480 --> 00:10:24.250 no one else here. Okay, seeing none. The public comment 00:10:24.259 --> 00:10:28.500 period is now closed. There are the following changes to 00:10:28.500 --> 00:10:36.750 today's agenda. Item 4 will be held until 3-26-20. 00:10:37.350 --> 00:10:44.279 And item 25 will be held until 3-26-20. We will 00:10:44.279 --> 00:10:49.480 take up the consent items. Is there a motion? 00:10:49.480 --> 00:10:52.389 It has been moved and seconded to take up the consent 00:10:52.399 --> 00:10:55.487 items. All in favor. 00:10:55.512 --> 00:10:56.401 Aye. 00:10:56.426 --> 00:10:59.069 Thank you. The consent items 00:10:59.070 --> 00:11:02.360 have passed unanimously. 00:11:02.360 --> 00:11:06.029 I believe that we have some comments on some of the 00:11:06.029 --> 00:11:08.240 items. 00:11:08.240 --> 00:11:12.919 Yes, Commissioner Shiroma. On item, I believe, 00:11:12.919 --> 00:11:14.059 17. 00:11:14.084 --> 00:11:17.480 Yes, thank you. Good morning, everyone. Thank you, 00:11:17.480 --> 00:11:21.110 President Batjer. I just wanted to highlight that 00:11:21.129 --> 00:11:29.529 Item 17 is a very significant step forward on implementing 00:11:29.539 --> 00:11:33.220 the framework to increase the availability of on-demand 00:11:33.230 --> 00:11:37.929 transportation to non-folding wheelchair users who 00:11:37.929 --> 00:11:41.590 need a wheelchair accessible vehicle. We refer to this 00:11:41.590 --> 00:11:48.190 program as WAV, W-A-V, and this is something that was 00:11:48.370 --> 00:11:52.779 sparked by Senator Jerry Hill in his legislation that 00:11:52.779 --> 00:11:57.230 the Governor signed in September of 2018. This is similar 00:11:57.230 --> 00:12:01.129 to what we all may have experienced in using a Lyft 00:12:01.129 --> 00:12:06.169 or an Uber. And now we are poised to provide for a 00:12:06.169 --> 00:12:12.929 service for wheelchair users. To pay for the costs 00:12:12.940 --> 00:12:18.120 of this program, SB 1376 provided, which is 00:12:18.120 --> 00:12:22.460 Senator Hill's legislation it provided for the Commission 00:12:22.460 --> 00:12:27.830 to access a fee, which was voted out by this Commission 00:12:28.070 --> 00:12:33.440 back in, before July 1 of last year. And so we have 00:12:33.450 --> 00:12:39.259 all been a paying a 10 cent fee towards supporting 00:12:39.259 --> 00:12:42.799 this program, and it really puts forth the policy of 00:12:42.799 --> 00:12:46.200 providing accessibility for all. And I would like to 00:12:46.200 --> 00:12:49.429 thank the Commissioner Randolph and her team for putting 00:12:49.429 --> 00:12:53.279 forth decision in a timely manner. I think one of the very 00:12:53.279 --> 00:12:56.789 first workshops I ever attended as a brand new Commissioner 00:12:57.090 --> 00:13:00.860 was the Wheelchair Accessibility workshop held in 00:13:00.860 --> 00:13:05.980 Los Angeles. The next phase of program requires the Commission 00:13:05.990 --> 00:13:10.950 to, by this past January, to have held workshops 00:13:11.440 --> 00:13:16.159 on what the program will look like in terms of implementation 00:13:16.169 --> 00:13:22.690 and that was done. So I do thank everyone for adopting 00:13:22.700 --> 00:13:28.340 this decision. It really provides for a program that 00:13:28.340 --> 00:13:32.860 we hope will be will be successful and meaningful to 00:13:32.860 --> 00:13:36.799 provide for the availability of drivers who will provide 00:13:36.799 --> 00:13:42.799 transportation on the hailing types of applications 00:13:43.240 --> 00:13:46.509 to provide for accessibility. And so, with all 00:13:46.509 --> 00:13:50.090 that said, I'd like to recognize the work done in putting 00:13:50.090 --> 00:13:54.480 forth this decision we just voted out, and this really 00:13:54.480 --> 00:13:57.750 was done in every expedited manner following that 00:13:57.759 --> 00:14:01.840 July decision of last year. Our assigned judge, Debbie 00:14:01.840 --> 00:14:04.470 Shiv; our Consumer Protection and Enforcement division 00:14:04.470 --> 00:14:09.080 team, Cody Naylor, and Anna Zhu and Reagan Rocksford; 00:14:09.279 --> 00:14:13.330 our legal support, Ireena Quasney. And thank you, of 00:14:13.330 --> 00:14:16.409 course, to Commissioner Randolph, who handed the baton 00:14:16.600 --> 00:14:20.740 to me last July. We became 00:14:20.740 --> 00:14:24.480 partners. And also thanking her advisor, Lester Wong, 00:14:24.730 --> 00:14:28.490 my advisor Terrence Shia, and also interim advisor, Viet 00:14:28.490 --> 00:14:31.990 Trang, and my chief of staff, Luann Testify, and all of 00:14:31.990 --> 00:14:35.539 the team that has brought this to this point 00:14:35.549 --> 00:14:37.760 for a successful vote. Thank you. 00:14:37.785 --> 00:14:38.899 And I thank you, 00:14:38.909 --> 00:14:41.230 Commissioner Shiroma. Commissioner Randolph, would you like to 00:14:41.230 --> 00:14:42.531 make a comment? 00:14:44.918 --> 00:14:45.740 Yes. I just wanted to follow up 00:14:45.740 --> 00:14:49.330 on Commissioner Shiroma's comments and thank her 00:14:49.330 --> 00:14:53.289 for this decision. As she mentioned, you know, 00:14:53.289 --> 00:14:56.779 Senator Hill championed this bill. And he actually 00:14:56.779 --> 00:15:01.169 attended the first workshop on this proceeding and 00:15:01.169 --> 00:15:04.320 has, he and his office have remained engaged and interested 00:15:04.320 --> 00:15:07.549 in our work in this area. And so I've been very pleased 00:15:07.879 --> 00:15:11.509 to see the success and see us moving forward. We're 00:15:11.509 --> 00:15:15.809 really trying to establish a virtuous cycle. Now, we're 00:15:15.809 --> 00:15:20.129 making sure that that the TNC's have accessible 00:15:20.129 --> 00:15:22.679 vehicles on their platform and that they're available 00:15:22.679 --> 00:15:26.490 in a timely manner, which will then encourage additional 00:15:26.490 --> 00:15:30.759 users to sign up for the platform and ask for 00:15:30.759 --> 00:15:34.590 accessible vehicles, which will then provide the demand 00:15:34.590 --> 00:15:37.870 that will allow the companies to increase 00:15:38.059 --> 00:15:40.909 the accessibility of WAV vehicles on their platform. 00:15:41.059 --> 00:15:44.509 And so the goal is to have the response times go down 00:15:44.509 --> 00:15:47.470 with the increasing number of vehicle uptake. So I 00:15:47.470 --> 00:15:53.789 am really hoping that our wonderful transportation 00:15:53.789 --> 00:15:56.269 staff keeps an eye on the companies to make sure that 00:15:56.269 --> 00:16:00.970 they are marketing and informing the public 00:16:00.980 --> 00:16:03.720 of the opportunity to access these vehicles so that 00:16:03.720 --> 00:16:09.649 we can get that response time down and encourage 00:16:09.879 --> 00:16:13.710 wheelchair users to access 00:16:13.990 --> 00:16:17.769 the accessible vehicles. So thank you again, Commissioner 00:16:17.769 --> 00:16:19.275 Shiroma for your work on this. 00:16:19.300 --> 00:16:20.480 Thank you. Commissioner 00:16:20.480 --> 00:16:23.990 Randolph, for all your hard work on this as well. Do 00:16:23.990 --> 00:16:26.090 we have any other comments from other Commissioners? 00:16:26.360 --> 00:16:31.090 If not, I have a comment on Item 10, like to make 00:16:31.090 --> 00:16:34.309 some brief remarks on Item 10. Decision on the community 00:16:34.320 --> 00:16:38.039 outreach before, during, and after a wildfire. This 00:16:38.039 --> 00:16:41.500 decision requires utilities to conduct community awareness 00:16:41.509 --> 00:16:45.309 and public outreach in all languages that are prevalent 00:16:45.320 --> 00:16:48.610 in their service territory. A language is prevalent 00:16:48.620 --> 00:16:52.590 if it is spoken by 1000 or more persons in the utility's 00:16:52.590 --> 00:16:55.899 territory. Revision One of the decision provides more 00:16:55.899 --> 00:16:59.100 detail about what sources the utilities will use 00:16:59.100 --> 00:17:02.730 to come up with list of languages. Communications during 00:17:02.730 --> 00:17:07.160 a wildfire, maybe a life or death situation. It is 00:17:07.160 --> 00:17:10.660 important for utilities to understand what languages 00:17:10.670 --> 00:17:13.640 are spoken across their service territories and be 00:17:13.640 --> 00:17:17.789 prepared to outreach to these communities in languages 00:17:17.799 --> 00:17:21.259 in the case of an emergency. These communities may be 00:17:21.259 --> 00:17:24.329 some of the most vulnerable in the event of a wildfire 00:17:24.430 --> 00:17:27.700 and it is critical that the utilities are fully equipped 00:17:27.809 --> 00:17:31.589 with information and relationships necessary to ensure 00:17:31.599 --> 00:17:35.609 all communities are well informed and kept safe. Given 00:17:35.609 --> 00:17:39.410 the importance of this issue, I recommend the proceedings 00:17:39.700 --> 00:17:44.900 have a workshop or a webinar on the content 00:17:45.289 --> 00:17:48.839 of the outreach. Also, I'd like to see these requirements 00:17:48.839 --> 00:17:52.900 adopted across the CPUC's other related proceedings as 00:17:52.900 --> 00:17:56.700 appropriate, including the public safety power shut 00:17:56.710 --> 00:18:01.210 offs and disaster preparedness. I commend 00:18:01.619 --> 00:18:05.500 assigned ALJ Sarah Thomas for her leadership on 00:18:05.500 --> 00:18:10.650 this critical decision. I also want to recognize Monica 00:18:10.690 --> 00:18:16.069 Palmigra, Kathleen Yip, and Amy Mezerabian. 00:18:16.450 --> 00:18:21.690 Ann Coco Tomozian, Nathan Hoon from staff 00:18:21.890 --> 00:18:24.779 and other staff for their hard work on this matter. 00:18:25.019 --> 00:18:27.589 Thank you very, very much. I appreciate it greatly. 00:18:27.589 --> 00:18:30.950 It's an important decision. Are there any other comments 00:18:31.230 --> 00:18:35.279 following the consent vote? Okay, seeing none, we will 00:18:35.279 --> 00:18:39.539 now take up the regular agenda items. The first item 00:18:39.549 --> 00:18:44.039 is number 26, and that is Commissioner Shiroma. 00:18:44.049 --> 00:18:46.789 Let's see. Is my microphone still on? Okay, very 00:18:46.789 --> 00:18:50.609 good. Thank you. All right. Also with regard to transportation 00:18:50.609 --> 00:18:56.390 network companies, this proposed decision, which is 00:18:56.400 --> 00:19:03.230 item R12-12-011. 00:19:03.230 --> 00:19:06.859 This proposed decision reverses a policy that the Commission 00:19:06.859 --> 00:19:12.440 adopted in 2013 that allowed entrance into the then 00:19:12.750 --> 00:19:15.509 newly regulated ride sharing transportation industry 00:19:15.519 --> 00:19:18.849 at that time known as transportation network companies 00:19:18.849 --> 00:19:22.460 or TNCs to submit their annual reports required by 00:19:22.460 --> 00:19:26.140 the Commission on a confidential basis. The Commission 00:19:26.140 --> 00:19:30.140 has since obtained a greater understanding of TNC operations 00:19:30.140 --> 00:19:33.630 and the market has seen significant development. As 00:19:33.630 --> 00:19:37.759 such, we would no longer permit TNC annual reports 00:19:38.079 --> 00:19:40.670 to be submitted with a presumption of confidentiality 00:19:40.960 --> 00:19:46.220 but rather rely on General Order 66-D, which provides 00:19:46.220 --> 00:19:49.849 a protocol for establishing a claim of confidentiality. 00:19:51.220 --> 00:19:57.339 In the decision 1309045, the Commission adopted specific 00:19:57.339 --> 00:20:00.609 safety requirements and regulatory requirements, the 00:20:00.619 --> 00:20:04.369 latter also requiring each TNC to file annual reports 00:20:04.369 --> 00:20:07.599 covering specific reporting categories with the Commission's 00:20:07.960 --> 00:20:11.549 Safety Enforcement division. While the Commission permitted 00:20:11.549 --> 00:20:14.400 these annual reports to be submitted confidentially, 00:20:14.400 --> 00:20:20.170 per a footnote 42, at that time, at a time when TNCs 00:20:20.170 --> 00:20:23.690 were a nascent transportation service, there was 00:20:23.690 --> 00:20:27.390 no intent on the Commission's part to treat the report's 00:20:27.390 --> 00:20:32.410 required by that decision, back in 2013, as confidential 00:20:32.420 --> 00:20:37.410 in perpetuity. Since initially permitting TNCs to 00:20:37.410 --> 00:20:41.009 file their annual reports confidentially, the Commission 00:20:41.009 --> 00:20:44.279 has adopted stricter standards for establishing a claim 00:20:44.279 --> 00:20:47.849 of confidentiality, and these could be found in General 00:20:47.859 --> 00:20:52.589 Order 66-D. Because of the need to promote greater 00:20:52.589 --> 00:20:55.910 transparency by providing more public access to Commission 00:20:55.910 --> 00:20:59.299 proceedings and the related documents developed therein, 00:20:59.299 --> 00:21:04.609 on November 14, 2014, the Commission opened 00:21:05.029 --> 00:21:10.289 that rulemaking R14-11-001, and I do apologize 00:21:10.289 --> 00:21:11.951 about all these numbers-- 00:21:11.976 --> 00:21:13.960 It's for the record. 00:21:13.970 --> 00:21:18.549 That is the convention of the Commission to identify 00:21:18.549 --> 00:21:21.740 the various decisions by those numbers. That decision 00:21:21.779 --> 00:21:28.009 that was open in 2014 proposed a General Order 66 to 00:21:28.119 --> 00:21:35.569 the current version 66D, and that proposal for a 66D 00:21:35.569 --> 00:21:41.920 was adopted in 2017. So that superseded the previous 00:21:42.700 --> 00:21:46.059 protocol for governing procedures for the submission 00:21:46.059 --> 00:21:49.650 of information to the Commission with claims of confidentiality. 00:21:50.019 --> 00:21:54.400 And this is outlined in the proposed decision. So this 00:21:54.410 --> 00:21:57.190 decision into the presumption of confidentiality 00:21:57.200 --> 00:21:59.609 for records submitted to the Commission. Generally 00:21:59.609 --> 00:22:03.480 speaking, all right. And when a person submits 00:22:03.480 --> 00:22:06.509 information to Commission and wants to claim confidentiality, 00:22:06.960 --> 00:22:09.660 the information submitter bears a burden to establish 00:22:09.960 --> 00:22:13.619 a basis for confidential treatment by the Commission. 00:22:13.819 --> 00:22:19.539 And this has been in place now since 2017. 00:22:19.539 --> 00:22:24.819 Again, the proposed decision outlines what 66D requires. 00:22:25.940 --> 00:22:29.170 Now, to address the developments in the TNC industry, 00:22:29.690 --> 00:22:35.430 we issued a scoping metal on October 25, 2019, identifying 00:22:35.430 --> 00:22:39.150 various confidentiality issues, including whether Footnote 00:22:39.160 --> 00:22:43.799 42, that applied only to TNCs, should be eliminated 00:22:43.809 --> 00:22:47.309 or modified. And if the TNC, instead of automatically 00:22:47.309 --> 00:22:50.910 submitting its any reports as confidential, must comply 00:22:51.490 --> 00:22:55.490 with the procedural requirements outlined in General 00:22:55.500 --> 00:23:04.180 Order 66D. Now, on November 6, 2019, our assigned 00:23:04.190 --> 00:23:07.210 judge issued a ruling requiring the parties to file 00:23:07.220 --> 00:23:10.319 opening comments to the confidentiality issues set 00:23:10.390 --> 00:23:15.170 fourth in the amended scoping memo and reply comments 00:23:15.180 --> 00:23:20.230 were received. We instructed that all facts and 00:23:20.230 --> 00:23:23.759 supporting authorities to support or dispute AT&T's 00:23:23.759 --> 00:23:26.809 claim that the contents of any reports that are required 00:23:26.809 --> 00:23:29.339 to be filed pursuant to a decision issued in this 00:23:29.339 --> 00:23:32.650 proceeding are protected from public disclosure. I 00:23:32.650 --> 00:23:35.319 do want to thank all the parties who participated in 00:23:35.319 --> 00:23:39.160 the proceeding and presenting their arguments, and overall, 00:23:39.619 --> 00:23:43.210 we concluded that there is no compelling or legal 00:23:43.210 --> 00:23:48.500 reason to retain Footnote 42 and a presumption of confidentiality. 00:23:49.190 --> 00:23:53.819 There's no reason to distinguish TNCs from using 00:23:53.859 --> 00:23:57.309 General Order 66-D, which has been in place in 00:23:57.309 --> 00:24:02.299 2017 for our other regulated entities. Therefore, based 00:24:02.299 --> 00:24:04.920 on the record that was submitted in the proceeding 00:24:04.930 --> 00:24:10.299 and the analysis that was conducted, we have established, 00:24:10.430 --> 00:24:13.670 in the proposed decision that the application of GO 00:24:14.009 --> 00:24:19.700 66D is appropriate for the TNC annual reports. 00:24:20.039 --> 00:24:23.599 So I would like to recognize the work done by the team. 00:24:23.940 --> 00:24:27.369 Our Administrative Law Judge, Robert Mason; our Consumer 00:24:27.369 --> 00:24:30.400 Protection and Enforcement Division team: Cody Naylor, 00:24:31.000 --> 00:24:35.329 Andrew Dougason, and Nikki Bala; our legal 00:24:35.329 --> 00:24:40.380 support Ireena Hosni, and I'd like to thank my Bagley 00:24:40.380 --> 00:24:44.859 Keane partner, Commissioner Randolph, and her adviser, Jason 00:24:44.869 --> 00:24:49.519 Ortego, my advisor Terrence Shia. And also my interim 00:24:49.519 --> 00:24:53.470 advisor Viet Trang. And my chief of staff Luann 00:24:53.470 --> 00:24:56.579 Testify for all of the work on this proceeding. 00:24:56.579 --> 00:25:00.220 And with all that said, I request your Aye vote on the 00:25:00.220 --> 00:25:02.613 proposed decision before us. Thank you. 00:25:02.638 --> 00:25:03.435 Thank you. 00:25:03.829 --> 00:25:06.529 Are there any other comments? I have a comment if, do 00:25:06.529 --> 00:25:08.828 you have, are you good? Okay. 00:25:08.853 --> 00:25:11.920 I just want to express my appreciation 00:25:11.920 --> 00:25:15.009 to you Commissioner Shiroma and to Judge Mason. I think 00:25:15.009 --> 00:25:18.990 this decision strikes exactly the right note for all 00:25:18.990 --> 00:25:22.349 the reasons you articulated, we have a very strong 00:25:22.349 --> 00:25:25.869 presumption in the state that information that public 00:25:25.869 --> 00:25:30.849 agencies have is public, and transparency serves many 00:25:30.849 --> 00:25:34.109 important purposes. It's important for information 00:25:34.109 --> 00:25:37.349 to be given to the public, to stakeholders to the Legislature 00:25:37.730 --> 00:25:41.099 and also to hold regular regulated entities accountable 00:25:41.430 --> 00:25:45.910 Publicly accountable in the presumption should is strong 00:25:45.910 --> 00:25:49.119 and should be overcome only and narrow and very compelling 00:25:49.119 --> 00:25:53.480 circumstances. As your decision points out in the burden 00:25:53.480 --> 00:25:56.039 needs to be on the party claiming confidentiality to 00:25:56.039 --> 00:26:00.190 show that the information really is truly confidential 00:26:00.609 --> 00:26:03.990 and that prejudice would result from disclosure. So 00:26:04.069 --> 00:26:07.230 as you said, there's no reason to treat the TNC is 00:26:07.230 --> 00:26:10.789 any differently than other parties. If there truly 00:26:10.789 --> 00:26:13.490 is information that would harm the privacy interests 00:26:13.490 --> 00:26:17.660 of an individual or corporation, we have a process 00:26:17.660 --> 00:26:20.710 that's established for for making those claims and 00:26:20.710 --> 00:26:23.579 working through them in a careful, thoughtful and legally 00:26:23.579 --> 00:26:27.730 justifiable way. So again, thank you for this decision 00:26:27.730 --> 00:26:30.690 As I said, I think it's right in line with the compelling 00:26:30.690 --> 00:26:35.029 public objective surrounding this area. 00:26:35.029 --> 00:26:37.935 Yes, yes 00:26:37.960 --> 00:26:43.049 (inaudible, mic off) 00:26:43.049 --> 00:26:45.920 having more transparency in this institution and all 00:26:45.920 --> 00:26:48.809 the utilities that we regulate. I think the allegation 00:26:48.809 --> 00:26:51.920 that we can't continue to protect consumer privacy 00:26:51.930 --> 00:26:54.799 while providing this greater transparency is a false 00:26:54.799 --> 00:26:58.000 narrative. This is something that many of our local 00:26:58.000 --> 00:27:00.490 governments are really yearning for to be able 00:27:00.490 --> 00:27:04.009 to manage their transportation needs and their safety 00:27:04.009 --> 00:27:08.900 needs. And I just look forward to, really, these future 00:27:08.900 --> 00:27:12.960 reports coming out so that more of our, not just our 00:27:12.960 --> 00:27:15.140 local governments, but the public at large can benefit from 00:27:15.164 --> 00:27:17.164 (inaudible, mic turns off) 00:27:19.140 --> 00:27:24.099 Commissioner Aceves. Guzman Aceves. Anyone? I have a brief comment. 00:27:24.109 --> 00:27:27.059 Thank you, Commissioner Shiroma for your efforts 00:27:27.059 --> 00:27:30.089 on this decision. I join my fellow Commissioners in 00:27:30.089 --> 00:27:34.160 that. As well as the efforts of the Consumer Protection 00:27:34.160 --> 00:27:37.880 and Enforcement division and the assigned judges 00:27:37.880 --> 00:27:40.849 including, of course, Judge Mason on this proceedings. 00:27:40.859 --> 00:27:44.650 I do support this decision. The TNCs, just like the 00:27:44.660 --> 00:27:47.839 other companies that the Commission regulates, play 00:27:47.839 --> 00:27:50.910 a sizeable role in our economy and the everyday lives 00:27:50.910 --> 00:27:54.529 of Californians across the state. This will only increase 00:27:54.529 --> 00:27:57.500 as these companies evolve and incorporate automation. 00:27:58.119 --> 00:28:01.460 It is time that the Tan si's are subject to the same 00:28:01.470 --> 00:28:04.940 obligations as other utilities the Commission 00:28:04.940 --> 00:28:10.220 regulates. Providing transparency, as Commissioner 00:28:10.230 --> 00:28:13.009 Rechtschaffen just noted, into our operations while 00:28:13.009 --> 00:28:16.599 maintaining the privacy of individual users is essential 00:28:16.890 --> 00:28:18.980 for the state, local governments and the public to 00:28:18.980 --> 00:28:22.269 ensure that the TNCs are operating with the highest 00:28:22.269 --> 00:28:26.900 safety standards and to mitigate impacts on traffic 00:28:26.900 --> 00:28:30.240 congestion, transportation systems and greenhouse gas 00:28:30.589 --> 00:28:34.079 emissions. So I thank you all once again. And of course 00:28:34.089 --> 00:28:39.240 I will now turn to the clerk to call the roll. 00:28:39.240 --> 00:28:40.007 For Item 26. 00:28:40.032 --> 00:28:42.309 or items when he sits. Commissioner She 00:28:42.309 --> 00:28:46.690 aroma. I wanna service High Commissioner Randolph I 00:28:46.900 --> 00:28:49.960 Commissioner Rocephin. Yes, President Metric I 00:28:49.985 --> 00:28:50.980 The 00:28:50.990 --> 00:28:53.549 vote is unanimous. Thank you very much. We will move 00:28:53.549 --> 00:28:56.529 to the next item, which is item 27, and that's Commissioner 00:28:56.529 --> 00:28:57.409 Rechtschaffen's. 00:28:57.434 --> 00:28:59.500 This is an application that was filed 00:28:59.500 --> 00:29:05.009 by CalAM on September 20, 2018, and amended earlier last 00:29:05.009 --> 00:29:08.140 year. The assigned ALJs prepared a proposed 00:29:08.140 --> 00:29:10.700 decision, which is currently under review, will be filed 00:29:10.700 --> 00:29:14.829 very shortly. I anticipate in the next a few weeks. In an 00:29:14.829 --> 00:29:17.309 abundance of caution, we're asking for an extension 00:29:17.309 --> 00:29:20.619 of the statutory deadline which is March 15th until 00:29:20.950 --> 00:29:25.150 September 2020 to make sure we have adequate time for 00:29:25.150 --> 00:29:28.779 a public review and comments and to allow us to deliberate 00:29:28.779 --> 00:29:31.529 and issue our final decision. But as I mentioned, we 00:29:31.529 --> 00:29:34.579 anticipate that we won't need nearly that time, that 00:29:34.579 --> 00:29:37.650 a decision will be issued very shortly. I ask for your 00:29:37.650 --> 00:29:38.690 support. 00:29:38.715 --> 00:29:41.809 Thank you. Are there any comments by the Commissioners 00:29:41.819 --> 00:29:45.940 on item 27? Okay, seeing none, could the clerk please call 00:29:45.940 --> 00:29:46.688 the roll? 00:29:46.713 --> 00:29:48.955 For Item 27. Commissioner. She aroma. I 00:29:48.980 --> 00:29:51.650 Commissioner Guzman, a service Commissioner. Randolph 00:29:51.789 --> 00:29:54.932 I. Commissioner read Chef in President. Better 00:29:54.957 --> 00:29:55.980 Aye. Thank 00:29:55.980 --> 00:29:59.769 you. The vote is unanimous. Moving on to management 00:29:59.769 --> 00:30:02.440 reports on the agenda. There are no reports on Item 00:30:02.440 --> 00:30:06.109 28 which is report and discussion on recent consumer 00:30:06.279 --> 00:30:10.390 protection and safety activities. And Item 29, management 00:30:10.390 --> 00:30:15.069 report on administrative activities. We're now at the 00:30:15.069 --> 00:30:18.859 Commission reports on the agenda. Would who would like 00:30:18.859 --> 00:30:22.539 to go first today? 00:30:22.539 --> 00:30:27.589 I can go. I wanted to report on a very 00:30:27.589 --> 00:30:30.130 productive site visit that Commissioner Randolph and 00:30:30.130 --> 00:30:33.130 I, along with other PUC staff, went on yesterday. We 00:30:33.130 --> 00:30:36.579 were hosted by the City of Isleton, and in particular. 00:30:36.920 --> 00:30:39.980 Councilmembers Jenn Kovawitz, Ann Dockery, the city 00:30:39.980 --> 00:30:43.990 manager, Chuck Brookskin, and the Fire Chief Scott 00:30:44.069 --> 00:30:47.549 Baroni. It was very helpfully and thoughtfully organized 00:30:47.559 --> 00:30:50.269 by Charles Mason, one of our local government and community 00:30:50.269 --> 00:30:53.410 liaisons in Sacramento. Thank you very much, Charles, 00:30:53.410 --> 00:30:57.069 for that. The purpose of the tour was to highlight 00:30:57.069 --> 00:31:00.190 for us some of the challenges that the community has 00:31:00.190 --> 00:31:03.930 faced recently with, in getting reliable utility services 00:31:03.930 --> 00:31:07.799 and in particular, they're supplied by CalAM. 00:31:08.079 --> 00:31:11.460 They had a couple of instances of unplanned outages when, 00:31:11.460 --> 00:31:14.740 because of a shift in supply, they were left literally 00:31:14.740 --> 00:31:17.779 without any water supply for a period of time. Of course 00:31:17.779 --> 00:31:21.519 posing very significant fire and public safety issues. 00:31:21.529 --> 00:31:25.250 Our Water division is enquiring about what happened 00:31:25.250 --> 00:31:29.049 and ways to avoid that going forward. They also 00:31:29.049 --> 00:31:32.970 reported that they're subject to fairly frequent electricity 00:31:32.970 --> 00:31:36.690 interruptions. They're in PG&Es service 00:31:36.690 --> 00:31:41.130 territory, and our electricity division is, our electricity 00:31:41.130 --> 00:31:44.240 reliability unit in the Safety and Enforcement division 00:31:44.240 --> 00:31:47.549 is following up to find out what the sources of those 00:31:47.549 --> 00:31:50.190 outages are and how they could be avoided going forward. 00:31:50.609 --> 00:31:54.099 They also noted that they have very spotty broadband 00:31:54.099 --> 00:31:58.359 service and that the major incumbent there, Frontier, 00:31:58.359 --> 00:32:03.460 has said they're not enrolling new customers. They 00:32:03.460 --> 00:32:05.869 have plans to develop their waterfront and increase 00:32:05.869 --> 00:32:09.099 their population, attract new businesses to the historic 00:32:09.099 --> 00:32:13.359 downtown. Obviously, all that kind of business development 00:32:13.359 --> 00:32:17.589 and residential development depends on having reliable 00:32:17.759 --> 00:32:21.750 and high quality Internet services and other utility 00:32:21.750 --> 00:32:24.390 services. So it was very interesting and instructive 00:32:24.390 --> 00:32:26.549 visit, and we're gonna follow up in all these areas. 00:32:28.109 --> 00:32:34.569 And I'll just add, it was really instructive 00:32:34.569 --> 00:32:37.299 to be in the community and learn what their challenges 00:32:37.299 --> 00:32:40.569 were and, you know, sometimes we're thinking about big 00:32:40.569 --> 00:32:43.819 huge problems. And we forget that there's a lot of 00:32:43.819 --> 00:32:47.640 communities out there that do experience, 00:32:47.640 --> 00:32:50.869 particularly if they're at the end of the line 00:32:50.869 --> 00:32:56.190 or in a rural area or, in the case 00:32:56.190 --> 00:32:58.740 of Isleton, they have three different counties that 00:32:58.740 --> 00:33:02.420 are right nearby and sometimes the services just 00:33:02.430 --> 00:33:06.130 aren't very consistent. And just making sure that 00:33:06.130 --> 00:33:08.970 our regulated entities are providing the services 00:33:08.980 --> 00:33:12.990 that their customers are paying for. And so, I really 00:33:12.990 --> 00:33:17.170 appreciated the opportunity to meet with them and to 00:33:17.599 --> 00:33:21.220 ensure that they made a connection with our staff, 00:33:21.220 --> 00:33:23.769 so that our stuff can follow up on their challenges 00:33:23.769 --> 00:33:26.630 and see if we can solve some of these day to 00:33:26.630 --> 00:33:30.640 day problems that the community is experiencing. 00:33:30.640 --> 00:33:35.069 Thank you so much. Important visit. Are there 00:33:35.269 --> 00:33:38.559 other Commissioners who would like to speak? Commissioner Shiroma? 00:33:38.609 --> 00:33:40.369 Thank you. And, you know, I'm just reconfirming that 00:33:40.450 --> 00:33:43.910 my mic is on. Okay, Okay. Thank you. Have a handful 00:33:43.910 --> 00:33:48.920 of things to share. Our Universal Lifeline Telephone 00:33:48.920 --> 00:33:51.890 Service Trust Administrative Committee, which is the 00:33:51.890 --> 00:33:54.569 committee that advises the Commission on all things 00:33:54.569 --> 00:33:59.420 Lifeline, met at the PUC on March 5th, and I 00:33:59.420 --> 00:34:03.400 was able to attend, and we received important updates 00:34:03.410 --> 00:34:07.890 from our third party administrator, which is Maximus. They 00:34:07.890 --> 00:34:11.969 provided statistics on program participation, the average 00:34:11.969 --> 00:34:15.409 qualification rate and average renewal rate. These 00:34:15.409 --> 00:34:18.579 statistics are very important because they really highlight 00:34:18.579 --> 00:34:22.739 where we need to spend attention in terms of making 00:34:22.739 --> 00:34:26.559 the program as effective as we can make it be. We also 00:34:26.559 --> 00:34:30.320 received updates from our Communications division team 00:34:30.539 --> 00:34:35.699 on ongoing pilot programs with the Boost CARE participants. 00:34:36.239 --> 00:34:40.400 And that is where we have linked up our CARE program, 00:34:40.400 --> 00:34:46.329 which is the energy discount program, to receive 00:34:46.329 --> 00:34:50.420 information from Boost on signing up for a discount 00:34:50.769 --> 00:34:55.099 phone service. And we also have the Boost iFoster 00:34:55.110 --> 00:35:01.219 program, which is providing phones and service to foster 00:35:01.230 --> 00:35:08.000 youth and foster young adults. And both are proceeding 00:35:08.440 --> 00:35:12.659 well. Of course, we want to have far more significant 00:35:12.659 --> 00:35:15.329 numbers of assignments, but they are making progress 00:35:15.590 --> 00:35:18.420 in signing people up for these programs that they do 00:35:18.420 --> 00:35:24.300 qualify for. And then, speaking of Lifeline. We had our Lifeline 00:35:24.300 --> 00:35:27.489 prehearing conference with Administrative Law Judge 00:35:27.500 --> 00:35:31.510 Wong to hear from the parties on the scope and schedule 00:35:31.940 --> 00:35:36.579 of our next phase of Lifeline. At our last Commission 00:35:36.579 --> 00:35:40.320 voting meeting, we voted out some matters. We closed 00:35:40.329 --> 00:35:44.019 that proceeding and then we started a fresh proceeding 00:35:44.019 --> 00:35:49.409 under a 2020 Decision number. The prehearing conference 00:35:49.409 --> 00:35:54.639 was well attended. The parties are very engaged. We 00:35:54.639 --> 00:35:57.320 will be looking at the next generation of efforts, 00:35:57.869 --> 00:36:01.889 including what will we do in the face of the Federal 00:36:03.389 --> 00:36:07.829 Communications Commission enacting further cuts to 00:36:07.829 --> 00:36:11.760 the subsidy program. We will look at any remaining 00:36:11.769 --> 00:36:17.849 issues from the 2011 rulemaking tours, really looking 00:36:17.849 --> 00:36:21.980 at the affordability needs of our impacted constituents. 00:36:22.119 --> 00:36:26.650 We know that communication was represented in the 00:36:26.809 --> 00:36:31.670 en banc that we all attended. Communication is key 00:36:32.230 --> 00:36:38.199 in the modern era, whether it's in the wildfire 00:36:38.199 --> 00:36:41.869 situation, whether it's the current COVID, you know, situation, 00:36:42.050 --> 00:36:45.550 whether it is really being able to keep in touch with 00:36:45.550 --> 00:36:50.199 family, keep in touch with services, and so, our 00:36:50.199 --> 00:36:53.059 goal is to look at how can we make the Lifeline program, 00:36:53.300 --> 00:36:56.769 again, even more effective than it is now. And then, 00:36:57.230 --> 00:37:00.570 we had our Low Income Oversight Board meeting last 00:37:00.570 --> 00:37:06.909 week in San Jose. You know, it was right on the the 00:37:06.920 --> 00:37:13.349 cusp of Santa Clara, indicating that the restrictions 00:37:13.360 --> 00:37:17.730 on large meetings, now, the attendance was good, 00:37:17.739 --> 00:37:21.719 we were in a very large room at the Board of Supervisors 00:37:22.159 --> 00:37:26.280 Auditorium. There was plenty of room to spread around, 00:37:26.289 --> 00:37:28.619 the six feet or the, you know, the safety distance 00:37:28.619 --> 00:37:34.469 and what have you. And even as Santa Clara was 00:37:34.469 --> 00:37:39.210 looking to deal with the COVID issues, the 00:37:40.900 --> 00:37:43.380 County Board of Supervisors' President Cesar Chavez 00:37:43.389 --> 00:37:48.440 did come and visit us and talk with us. We also had 00:37:48.440 --> 00:37:53.400 Mayor Sam Lacardo, of San Jose, visit with us. Both 00:37:53.440 --> 00:37:57.369 emphasized the importance of energy assistance programs 00:37:57.710 --> 00:38:00.820 to the low income communities in the South Bay. They 00:38:00.820 --> 00:38:03.099 were very thoughtful in sharing their comments. They also 00:38:03.099 --> 00:38:08.440 highlighted, too, how the PSPS events of last fall 00:38:08.869 --> 00:38:13.139 were tough to cope with and the importance of communication 00:38:13.449 --> 00:38:17.829 with the electric utility and that there were hiccups, 00:38:18.130 --> 00:38:22.519 as we heard from other jurisdictions as well, that 00:38:23.110 --> 00:38:25.699 it was so important, again, information is so important 00:38:25.699 --> 00:38:29.570 to have it timely, and they did highlight that. The LIOB 00:38:29.570 --> 00:38:34.320 continues to look at how can we make those programs 00:38:34.329 --> 00:38:37.500 under the energy companies, the CARE, which is the discount 00:38:37.500 --> 00:38:40.570 program for low income, the ISA, which is the brother 00:38:40.570 --> 00:38:44.960 ization and energy efficient appliances and 00:38:44.960 --> 00:38:48.239 what have you. How can we make those programs effective 00:38:48.250 --> 00:38:50.940 in the coming years? So I'd like to think Gillian Weaver 00:38:51.309 --> 00:38:54.539 and Kapil Kulkarni from the Energy division for their 00:38:54.539 --> 00:38:57.769 excellent work in organizing the meeting. Thank you. 00:38:59.400 --> 00:39:02.989 Commissioner Guzman Aceves? 00:39:02.989 --> 00:39:07.000 I did want to mention that we will be assessing our 00:39:07.000 --> 00:39:10.260 workshop, our public workshops, and how to potentially 00:39:10.260 --> 00:39:13.789 make those remote. So I wanted to just make a 00:39:14.070 --> 00:39:17.150 plug for folks to keep an eye out for what will happen 00:39:17.150 --> 00:39:20.210 with the tribal workshop that is scheduled at Yoshadehi 00:39:20.210 --> 00:39:24.929 on March 24th to discuss the tribal land 00:39:24.929 --> 00:39:29.050 policy. And so, although I don't have direct what we 00:39:29.050 --> 00:39:32.940 will do, we will be announcing that soon. I did have 00:39:32.940 --> 00:39:38.239 a couple of visits last week. I was in Santa Rosa for 00:39:38.239 --> 00:39:42.340 a tour with the Energy Commission on visiting two of 00:39:42.340 --> 00:39:46.380 their EPIC funded projects. One was at Randall Jackson 00:39:46.380 --> 00:39:49.090 Wines, where they have a winery, and they were doing 00:39:49.090 --> 00:39:54.449 some very impressive water microwater filtration 00:39:55.210 --> 00:39:59.179 to potentially reduce the amount of both energy but 00:39:59.190 --> 00:40:03.039 moreso water, and obviously, the embedded cost 00:40:03.039 --> 00:40:06.449 of energy within water. It was very impressive and 00:40:06.909 --> 00:40:10.409 still not final, but they're learning as they go. That's 00:40:10.409 --> 00:40:13.289 the point of the research. But it really, if it's successful, 00:40:13.289 --> 00:40:16.800 could have amazing impacts for both water savings and 00:40:16.800 --> 00:40:21.219 energy. They also, we're trying out something 00:40:21.219 --> 00:40:26.019 that's used in a lot of European wineries, a 00:40:26.989 --> 00:40:30.829 pretty basic technology, but at a larger scale, of heat 00:40:30.840 --> 00:40:34.030 exchanger, where they're essentially, because they have 00:40:34.039 --> 00:40:38.139 to cool and heat wine in the process, by the way, we didn't 00:40:38.139 --> 00:40:40.128 get to do a tasting-- 00:40:40.153 --> 00:40:41.631 I was just gonna ask. 00:40:41.656 --> 00:40:42.969 But it really 00:40:42.969 --> 00:40:45.219 was fascinating just see the application there 00:40:45.230 --> 00:40:48.480 and again, how much savings on energy that could 00:40:48.480 --> 00:40:51.300 produce. And what that one was already producing. And 00:40:51.309 --> 00:40:54.590 this is the type of EPIC research we will see 00:40:54.590 --> 00:40:57.690 the application take off in the market now that folks 00:40:57.690 --> 00:41:01.780 see it, how much energy savings has come from. 00:41:01.789 --> 00:41:04.550 And I think the return there was depending on the use. 00:41:05.039 --> 00:41:08.190 Between three and five years. So that's really great. 00:41:09.309 --> 00:41:13.019 We then went to visit Santa Rosa Community College 00:41:13.610 --> 00:41:16.469 which is, I think, the oldest community college, at 00:41:16.469 --> 00:41:18.800 least in Northern California. It's over 100 years old. 00:41:19.019 --> 00:41:23.159 Beautiful campus. We were joined by the President 00:41:23.170 --> 00:41:25.800 and some of the senior staff at the beginning before 00:41:25.809 --> 00:41:28.780 we actually walked around, and they wanted to talk about 00:41:28.789 --> 00:41:31.360 PSPS. 00:41:31.360 --> 00:41:34.269 You know, they shared that obviously not just PSPS 00:41:34.269 --> 00:41:40.320 but fires in Santa Rosa, again, last fall, a big scare, 00:41:40.630 --> 00:41:46.480 again. And they said that over 50%, 5-0, of their students 00:41:46.909 --> 00:41:51.389 are dealing with mental health issues. They had, 00:41:51.920 --> 00:41:53.960 although they were not a community resource center 00:41:53.960 --> 00:41:58.289 and did not want to be, they were there 00:41:58.289 --> 00:42:00.530 for their students. They did allow for some of the 00:42:00.530 --> 00:42:07.849 students and faculty to stay there. So it is been, 00:42:07.849 --> 00:42:11.969 I mean, the amount of shift that has happened, how 00:42:11.969 --> 00:42:15.389 they manage, what they're managing for, has been tremendous 00:42:15.389 --> 00:42:18.920 there. They shared that with us. Unfortunately, they also shared 00:42:18.920 --> 00:42:23.460 some of the frustrations in dealing with PG&E and 00:42:23.460 --> 00:42:28.280 communicating with them, also, you know, they 00:42:28.280 --> 00:42:33.150 have made some progress. They then did give us a tour 00:42:33.159 --> 00:42:36.880 around to their microgrid project. And really, it's 00:42:36.880 --> 00:42:40.199 kind of fascinating because of some of the, because 00:42:40.199 --> 00:42:43.889 of the age of the institution, they have some old technology 00:42:43.889 --> 00:42:46.449 that's new again, which is essentially ground thermal, 00:42:46.473 --> 00:42:48.439 geo-thermal. 00:42:48.440 --> 00:42:52.610 And their whole front administration building is 00:42:53.179 --> 00:42:58.849 heated with that thermal energy. And they just, they have, 00:42:59.300 --> 00:43:01.710 I'm trying to remember if they're still in the process here, but 00:43:01.719 --> 00:43:04.739 basically they're gonna put underground their football 00:43:04.763 --> 00:43:09.039 field, their soccer and football field, geo-thermal. 00:43:09.039 --> 00:43:12.139 And it's just, it's a great thing. I know, at one point, 00:43:12.139 --> 00:43:14.059 we thought about it for the San Joaquin Valley, but 00:43:14.070 --> 00:43:17.579 we really need somebody to manage it. 00:43:17.579 --> 00:43:20.579 But it theoretically could be a great community resource as well. 00:43:21.199 --> 00:43:24.210 So it was really great to see that. And of course, 00:43:24.369 --> 00:43:27.750 as probably many community college staff, the person 00:43:27.750 --> 00:43:31.260 they have on staff for the sustainability projects 00:43:31.260 --> 00:43:37.420 that they do is doing more than his work. Does 00:43:37.420 --> 00:43:40.139 what many people do, has a couple fellows that are 00:43:40.150 --> 00:43:42.550 helping him really implement this, so it was really impressive, and I 00:43:42.719 --> 00:43:45.739 really appreciate them giving us a tour. They did have 00:43:45.750 --> 00:43:50.179 the more, you know, the project, actually, which was being funded 00:43:50.190 --> 00:43:54.050 was around the battery solar components of it. But 00:43:54.059 --> 00:43:56.489 really, they're doing so much more. But they did have 00:43:57.449 --> 00:43:59.809 a large amount of batteries that they had installed 00:44:00.550 --> 00:44:04.510 to power, and they were putting up another megawatt of 00:44:04.519 --> 00:44:06.323 solar and a new parking lot. 00:44:06.348 --> 00:44:09.054 Commissioner, is that already functioning? 00:44:09.078 --> 00:44:11.078 (inaudible, microphone off) 00:44:12.440 --> 00:44:16.099 island now? But I believe it's something about 13% 00:44:16.099 --> 00:44:20.039 of their need. Now, they've also put in a system that 00:44:20.050 --> 00:44:23.760 prioritizes, they went around and kind of audited, what's 00:44:23.760 --> 00:44:39.090 the most critical (inaudible, microphone shuts off) 00:44:39.090 --> 00:44:42.610 broadening out, seeing what else could they keep on as they continue to grow. 00:44:43.789 --> 00:44:48.110 But a lot of that was software, so some of this 00:44:48.119 --> 00:44:52.179 was, you know, the battery part that's the hardware. But a 00:44:52.539 --> 00:44:56.500 big part of this was software prioritizing timing. They 00:44:56.500 --> 00:44:59.719 did an assessment of, you know, what are their actual 00:44:59.730 --> 00:45:02.670 uses are and things that, you would think that some of the 00:45:02.670 --> 00:45:07.090 areas that would have been more using more energy or 00:45:07.090 --> 00:45:09.440 where students would participate in, didn't match up 00:45:09.449 --> 00:45:11.869 with actual data, so it was a learning experience for them. 00:45:13.090 --> 00:45:18.250 Overall, it was just fantastic to see that some of 00:45:18.250 --> 00:45:21.469 these microgrids tjat we've seen are, you know, I know 00:45:21.730 --> 00:45:23.639 Commissioner Shiroma, you talked about a winery, 00:45:24.079 --> 00:45:26.630 but when you talk about a community college and what 00:45:26.650 --> 00:45:29.840 a great resource that is to community at large, and particularly 00:45:29.849 --> 00:45:32.539 to young people in our communities, it was great to 00:45:32.539 --> 00:45:35.980 see the EPIC funding going there. So it was a great 00:45:35.980 --> 00:45:41.030 visit. And I encourage you all to go visit. 00:45:41.030 --> 00:45:44.659 Use of geothermal in the administrative office, 00:45:44.659 --> 00:45:47.900 I suspect, as way you stated it, that that started 00:45:47.900 --> 00:45:52.510 years ago. Maybe 100. I don't know, 100 years ago. 00:45:53.389 --> 00:45:55.239 (inaudible, microphone off) 00:45:55.239 --> 00:45:57.650 Love that. 00:45:57.650 --> 00:46:02.130 I did also go to Yosemite and visited with the local government commission. 00:46:02.130 --> 00:46:08.400 (mic cuts out) This is a makeup of local city electeds and county supervisors, 00:46:08.400 --> 00:46:11.269 (mic turns back on) other types of elected representatives at the local 00:46:11.269 --> 00:46:15.539 level, much focus and interests around PSPS and 00:46:15.539 --> 00:46:18.690 microgridding, and just relevant to our earlier topic on 00:46:18.690 --> 00:46:21.980 transparency. I know Commissioner Shiroma also, the 00:46:21.980 --> 00:46:25.010 microgrid proceeding, there's a transparency element 00:46:25.019 --> 00:46:28.070 there as well. Where the utilities need to, a proposal 00:46:28.070 --> 00:46:32.949 now, to share the infrastructure with the local governments. 00:46:32.960 --> 00:46:35.769 And it's just another example where we're, we need to 00:46:35.769 --> 00:46:38.900 really provide this type of transparency to local governments. 00:46:39.239 --> 00:46:41.940 They are so dedicated in getting some of these critical 00:46:41.940 --> 00:46:44.969 facilities, whether it's a community college or their 00:46:44.969 --> 00:46:48.420 own administrations to be able to continue to be on 00:46:48.719 --> 00:46:53.469 during these unfortunate times. So, and much talk about 00:46:53.469 --> 00:46:57.289 broadband and the need to have that (mic cuts out) sort of redundancy resiliency as 00:46:57.329 --> 00:47:02.269 well. Another great reminder of how we need to continue 00:47:02.269 --> 00:47:06.239 to work with our local governments in ensuring resiliency. 00:47:06.239 --> 00:47:10.019 Very much. Are there any other reports from the Commission? 00:47:10.719 --> 00:47:15.570 Okay, seeing none, that finishes the Commission's 00:47:15.570 --> 00:47:19.159 reports. Thank you, everyone for coming. The meeting 00:47:19.170 --> 00:47:22.409 is now adjourned, 00:47:22.409 --> 00:47:26.239 and could be please clear the room for the closed session 00:47:26.239 --> 00:47:27.449 on legal matters.