June 18, 2020

In April, CSAC along with RCRC and a number of other local governments and energy advocates filed a joint motion requesting the CPUC to issue emergency PSPS de-energization protocols for electric investor-owned utilities (IOUs) that specifically take the COVID-19 pandemic into consideration. The CPUC has taken no action on this request to date. In the face of shelter in place orders and a global pandemic, PSPS events could be even more impactful than in previous years.

CSAC and our coalition members argue that an emergency order from the CPUC would help IOUs fully consider these unique challenges. Specifically, the joint motion calls for the CPUC to issue a set of protocols that would require IOUs to work closely with local emergency managers, require analyzation of specific COVID-19 related health and community factors, and generally limit the use and scope of PSPS. CSAC will continue to advocate for the adoption of an emergency order that takes COVID-19 into consideration.

CSAC has also advocated on several other PSPS related rulemakings at the CPUC, including the recently released PSPS Phase II guidelines. This requested emergency order would be supplemental to the previously released PSPS guidelines.