Plain English Breakdown
The official text confirms the removal of the funding requirement but does not explicitly restate whether the 500 megawatt limit from existing law remains unchanged, so it was excluded to avoid speculation.
Changes Rules for Buying Power from Pump Hydro Facilities
This law removes the rule that pump hydroelectric facilities must have received state funding before January 1, 2023, allowing the Department of Water Resources to buy energy from them if they are exempt from federal licensing.
What This Bill Does
- Removes the requirement for pump hydroelectric facilities to have received direct state funding before January 1, 2023.
- Allows the Department of Water Resources to buy energy from these facilities only if they do not need a license from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
Who It Names or Affects
- The California Department of Water Resources
- Operators of pump hydroelectric energy facilities
Limits and Unknowns
- The Department of Water Resources can only make these purchases before January 1, 2035.
- This change applies only to facilities that are exempt from Federal Energy Regulatory Commission licensing.