The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has initiated a rulemaking (R.08.-12-009) to consider policies for California investor-owned electric utilities to develop a smarter electric grid in the state.  The proceeding will consider setting policies, standards and protocols to guide the development of a smart grid system and facilitate integration of new technologies such as distributed generation, storage, demand-side technologies, and electric vehicles.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (“Recovery Act”) was signed into law by President Obama on February 17, 2009 (P.L.111-5).  The Recovery Act allocates $4.5 billion to the Department of Energy’s Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability. These “Smart Grid” funds are to be used to develop a nationwide plan to modernize the electric grid, enhance security of U.S. energy infrastructure and ensure reliable electricity delivery to meet growing demand.

May 2013: Smart Grid Annual Report - 2012

May 1, 2013:  Electric Utility Customer Information Privacy Reports, as required by D. 11-07-056

• Pacific Gas and Electric Company
  • Pacific Gas and Electric Company Response to Data Request
  • Pacific Gas and Electric Privacy Report Data Response Form Notice
• Southern California Edison Company
  • Southern California Edison Company Response to Data Request
  • Southern California Edison Privacy Report Data Request Notice Form
• San Diego Gas & Electric Company
  • San Diego Gas & Electric Company Response to Data Request

Oct. 2012: Smart Grid Annual Deployment Plan Updates (R.08-12-009)

• PG&E
• SCE
• SDG&E

Oct. 1, 2012: CPUC Acts to Ensure Consumer and Market Benefits from Smart Meters

Sept. 19, 2012: CPUC Grid Planning and Reliability Policy Paper: Cybersecurity and the Evolving Role of State Regulation: How it Impacts the California Public Utilities Commission

April 19, 2012: CPUC Acts to Ensure Effectiveness of Smart Grid

December 2011: 2011 Smart Grid Annual Report

July 28, 2011: CPUC Adopts Rules to Protect the Privacy and Security of Customer Electricity Usage Data

• Read the Decision

July 22, 2011: Commissioner Florio held an All-Party Meeting regarding the Decision Adopting Rules to Protect the Privacy and Security of the Electricity Usage Data of the Customers of PG&E, SCE, and SDG&E.

• The meeting can be viewed via archived video webcast.

December 2010: 2010 Smart Grid Annual Report

June 24, 2010: CPUC Launches Plan to Modernize Electric Grid

Feb. 8, 2010: CPUC Ruling requesting that parties submit comments pertaining to proposed policies and findings concerning the Smart Grid that fall into three broad areas.

December 29, 2009: CPUC Decision adopting policies and findings to fulfill the regulatory obligations imposed on states by the Energy Information and Security Act of 2007’s amendments to the Public Utilities Regulatory Policies Act.

September 10, 2009: CPUC Expedites Review Process for Smart Grid Funding Under Recovery Act

• Read the decision

Hearings and Events

June 21, 2013: Smart Inverter Functionalities Workshop

Jan. 15-16, 2013: Energy Data Workshop

• Energy Data Workshop Agenda
  • Call-in Information
  • Presentations

Previous Hearings and Events

January-February 2012 Public Workshops

• The CPUC held four days of workshops on Smart Grid issues in January and February 2012. We have posted presentations made by attendees.

Dec. 12, 2011: Smart Grid Workshop, CPUC Auditorium

• Agenda
• Presentations:
  • SDG&E Green Button Status Update
  • SCE Green Button Update
  • OpenADE
• Archived video also available.

Sept. 9, 2011: Pre-hearing Conference on SDG&E Smart Grid Plan (A.11-06-006, A.11-06-029, A.11-07-001)

• Presentation
• Video webcast (archived)

Oct. 25-26, 2010, 9:30 a.m.-4:30 a.m.: Smart Grid Workshop (R.08-12-009)

• Video Webcast (Day 1 only)
• This workshop addressed issues related to the creation of rules to allow for an authorized third-party to access a customers’ electric usage information and any associated privacy protections that should be implemented.
• Agenda
• Presentations:
  • Center for Democracy & Technology
  • Pacific Gas & Electric Company
  • SDG&E/Google

Sept. 28-29, 2010: NIST/CPUC Co-Sponsored Event on Cyber-Security and Privacy in the CPUC Auditorium at 505 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco.  Both days were video webcast.   

• Agenda
• Presentations:
  • Day 1 Morning | Day 1 Afternoon | Day 2 (Privacy)
• Speaker Bios

• March 17-19, 2010, 9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.: Public Workshop on Smart Grid technologies pursuant to Federal Legislation and on the CPUC's own motion to actively guide policy in California's development of a Smart Grid system.
  • Where: CPUC Auditorium, 505 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco (except on March 17th, which will be in Hearing Room A)
  • Video webcast archive
  • Agendas:
    • Deployment Plan Workshop (March 17, 18)
    • Customer Access Workshop (March 19)
  • Presentations
  • Participant Biographies
• July 31, 2009, 10 a.m.: Workshop on Smart Grid: Regulatory Approach (R.08-12-009), CPUC, 505 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco
  • Agenda
  • Speaker Profiles and Presentations
  • View Archived Video Webcast
• July 15, 2009, 10 a.m.: Workshop on Smart Grid: Electric Vehicles (R.08-12-009), CPUC, 505 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco
  • Agenda
  • Speaker Profiles and Presentations
  • View Archived Video Webcast
• June 26, 2009, 10 a.m.: Workshop on Smart Grid: Transmission and Energy Storage (R.08-12-009), CPUC, 505 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco
  • Agenda 
  • Presentations and Speaker Profiles 
  • View Archived Video Webcast
• June 5, 2009, 10 a.m.: Workshop on Smart Grid: Distribution (R.08-12-009), CPUC, 505 Van Ness Ave., S.F.
  • Agenda
  • Presentations
  • View Archived Video Webcast
• May 27, 2009: Workshop on Smart Grid: Consumer Issues (R.08-12-009), CPUC, 505 Van Ness Ave., S.F.
  • Agenda
  • Presentations
  • View Archived Video Webcast
• April 21, 2009: Smart Grid Symposium
  • Agenda
  • Presentations
  • Speaker Profiles
  • Media Advisory
  • View Archived Video Webcast
• March 27, 2009: Smart Grid Pre-Hearing Conference and Smart Grid Workshop
  • View Archived Video Webcast

More Information

• Jan. 18, 2013: Advanced Inverter Technologies Report (CPUC staff paper)
• Fact Sheet: California Leads the Nation in Modernizing its Electric Grid
• January 21, 2010: CPUC Approves PG&E Request to Match U.S. Department of Energy Award for Compressed Air Energy Storage Project
• Commissioner Chong's May 4, 2009, speech at the Power Association of Northern California titled, "Is Our Electric Grid Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?"
• Documents and Decisions for CPUC Smart Grid Proceeding
• CPUC Rulemaking Opening a Smart Grid Proceeding
• Smart Grid Service List
• U.S. Department of Energy Information on Smart Grid Funding Opportunities
• CPUC Fact Sheet on Smart Grid, July 2010

California Energy Related Recovery Programs:

• CPUC Stimulus Web Page
• California Energy Commission Stimulus Web Page
• California's Recovery Website