California Energy Commission

Agency History

With the development of nuclear power in the late 1950's, California was faced with a new problem, the regulation of a new source of electrical power. The solution to the problem arrived in 1963 with the formation of the Committee on Nuclear Power Policy. This committee was formed when Hugo Fisher, the administrator of the Resources Agency, an agency formed in 1961 when Governor Pat Brown dissolved the Natural Resources Department (see STATS. 1961, ch. 2037, p. 4247), decided the Resource Agency could not regulate nuclear energy without a joint effort between departments.

In 1964 this committee on Nuclear Power Policy Formulation became an ad hoc committee to review proposals for the Pacific Gas and Electric Company's sites for nuclear power plants. Later that year, the ad hoc committee became a standing committee and by 1965 they released a policy statement, Resources Agency Policy on Power PLants in California that they used as a guide for their activities.

In 1969 the Resources Agency revised the policy so that it would include thermal power plants. To assist in dealing with this expanded policy, they also created another committee known as the State of California Powerplant Committee. The formation of this committee coincided with Governor Ronald Reagan's designation of the Resource Agency as the state entity in charge of coordinating the activities of all state agencies relative to thermal power plant siting, resolving conflicts within state government that might arise, and entering into agreements with the power utility companies, reflecting the state's composite position on all sites.

Adding to Governor Reagan's demands on the Resource Agency, the Assembly passed the Power Plant Siting Coordination Act in 1970 (see STATS. 1970, ch. 1533, p. 3095). This Act stipulated that in concert with the California electrical utilities, the Resource Agency was to prepare and maintain a long range plan, covering at least twenty years, for the establishment of powerplant sites to meet the projections of California's population growth.

In 1972, the Powerplant Siting Coordination Act was supplemented with the passage of Proposition 20 which created seven coastal commissions empowered to suggest environmental controls on development along the coast (see STATS. 1972, ch 1, p. A-181).

The flurry of action dealing with energy resources peaked in 1973 with the introduction of S.B. 283, a bill that would have established a state Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission. This bill was vetoed by Governor Reagan because he felt the Commission would duplicate many functions performed by other state agencies. The rejection of S.B. 283 was followed by the passage of A.B. 1575 in the House. The bill, almost identical to S.B. 283, was amended in the Senate and passed by the Legislature on May 21, 1974.

On May 24, 1974, Governor Reagan signed into law, the Warren-Alquist State Energy Resources and Conservation Act (formerly A.B. 1575) which established the Energy Resources and Conservation Commission (see STATS. 1974, ch. 2761, p. 500). The Energy Commission's basic responsibilities included assisting in conservation of known energy sources, developing alternate energy sources, ensuring that enough electrical energy remains available to protect public health and safety, promoting the general welfare and enhancing the environmental quality, and consolidating the state's responsibility for energy resources. The Commission accomplishes these tasks by assessing energy use trends in California, researching and developing new energy sources, and regulating construction of energy producing sites.

The Energy Commission was comprised of Five members who were appointed by the Governor for five years in staggered terms (see STATS. 1974, ch. 276, p. 504). The Warren-Alquist Act mandates that one commissioner posses a background in the field of engineering on physical science and has a knowledge of energy supply or conversion systems; one member is an attorney and member of the State Bar of California with administrative law experience; one commissioner has a background in environmental protection or the study of ecosystems; one member is an economist with a background in natural resources management; and the final member is from the public at large. The original commissioners were Richard Maulin, Ronald Doctor, Alan Pasternak, Richard Tuttle, and Bob Moretti.

The Energy Commission was divided into four divisions in 1975: Energy Facility Siting, Conservation, Energy Assessments, and Research and Development. Energy Facilities Siting, stemming from the earlier ad hoc committee, weighs the technological, social, and environmental advantages and disadvantages of such facilities. This process helps provide appropriate electrical generating facilities for the state of California. The Conservation Division whose roots lie in the old Natural Resources Department, establishes regulations to slow the growth rate of energy use in California by carrying out studies, technical assessments, research projects, and data collection. The Energy Assessments Division, stemming from A.B 1247, forecasts California's electric energy requirements, predicting the state's electrical power needs for the coming five, ten, or twenty years. The Research and Development Division, also grounded in A.B. 1247, researches and develops alternate forms of producing energy. These areas include solar, and geothermal.

From the guide to the California Energy Commission Records, (California State Archives)

Agency History

The California Energy Commission was created in 1974 pursuant to the Warren-Alquist State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Act (Stats. 1974, ch. 276). Prior to the development of the Commission, utilities wanting to construct an energy facility faced a fragmented and lengthy siting process that necessitated authorization of local, state, and federal agencies. Beginning in the mid 1960s the Resources Agency assumed the duties of determining acceptability of proposed sites and coordinating the activities of state agencies connected to the siting process. The changing environmental laws at the state and federal levels and the need for a formalized siting process prompted the Legislature to introduce several siting bills beginning in the 1970 session. In response to the oil shortage of 1973, the Governor signed A.B. 1575 (1974) into law, which consolidated the operations of energy forecasting, conservation, development, and siting within a single agency.

The California Energy Commission consists of five members appointed by the Governor for staggered five-year terms, with one member designated as chair. Four of the five members must have backgrounds in specific fields -- environmental sciences, economics, engineering, and law, while one is from the public at large.

The Energy Commission is responsible for the assessment, development, and conservation of energy and energy resources in the state, and it is empowered with the authority to certify all sites and related energy generating facilities. Using data supplied by utilities concerning projected supply and demand of electricity in their service areas, the Commission forecasts the state's short and long-term energy requirements. It will also assess trends in the consumption of electricity and other forms of energy, and it examines the impact of energy development on California's social, economic, and environmental structure. The Commission conducts research and funds development of alternative energy sources and improved methods for the design, construction, and operation of energy facilities. Conservation activities focus on the regulation of the growth rate of energy use in the state. The Commission carries out a program to reduce uneconomic and inefficient consumption of energy, and it establishes regulations for appliance efficiency, building insulation, and the operation of power plants. The Commission also takes action on applications for proposed facilities, and certifies sites and facilities after an extensive review process.

As of 1989 the Commission consisted of five divisions: Administrative Services; Energy Forecasting and Planning; Energy Efficiency and Local Assistance; Energy Technology and Development; and Energy Facilities Siting and Environmental Protection.

From the guide to the California Energy Commission: Siting and Environmental Division Records, (California State Archives)