AB 813 Summary

• Prohibits California transmission owners, retail sellers, and local publicly owned electric utilities from joining a multistate regional transmission system organization unless the organization's bylaws and operational documents meet Federal Energy Regulatory Commission requirements and specified state governance standards.

• Requires the California Energy Commission, in consultation with the Public Utilities Commission and State Air Resources Board, to review organizational documents for compliance before any California entity may join a multistate regional transmission organization.

• Establishes governance requirements for multistate regional transmission organizations including independent board members, conflict-of-interest policies, open meeting standards, public records access, and protection of state authority over generation preferences, transmission siting, and resource planning.

• Prohibits centralized capacity markets in California and requires that resource dispatch appropriately reflects California's climate policies and greenhouse gas emissions costs.

• Allows the Independent System Operator to submit a governance proposal to the Energy Commission that, if approved, may be implemented no earlier than January 1, 2021, with implementation requiring notice to the Legislature and a 270-day waiting period.