Restructuring of California's Electric Utility Industry
Information From the California Energy Commission

Beginning March 31, 1998, many of California's electricity consumers were allowed to make choices when they purchased their electricity. The decades-old structure of area-specific monopolies for electricity was changed under what is called "restructuring" or deregulation. Begun by the California Public Utilities Commission in 1992, the course electricity deregulation took was directed by legislation, mainly Assembly Bill 1890 and Senate Bill 90.

Because of flaws in the deregulation process, the California Public Utilities Commission suspended direct access in September 2001. Other problems, too numerous to explain here, also occurred. Many periodicals and books have examined and analyzed what went wrong with the state deregulation efforts. We'd recommend investigating those books and magazines at your local public or school library.

Under restructuring, the California Energy Commission was directed by the Legislature to deal with restructuring's impacts on renewable energy; energy research, development and demonstration (RD&D) programs; create a retail electricity disclosure program; and hold proceedings focussing on information access. Four Web Sites have been created by the Energy Commission to focus on these areas.

RENEWABLE ENERGY www.energy.ca.gov/renewables Includes: Registered renewable providers. Existing renewable program. New renewable program. Emerging renewables buy-down program. Customer credit program.	ENERGY RESEARCH www.energy.ca.gov/research Public Interest Energy Research (PIER) Program
SB 1305 - RETAIL ELECTRICITY DISCLOSURE www.energy.ca.gov/sb1305 Also see Power Content Label	MARKET INFORMATION PROCEEDINGS (Ad Hoc Committee on Information) www.energy.ca.gov/marketinfo
For more information about deregulation phone the California Public Utilities Commission Consumer Hot Line toll free: General Consumer Questions -- 800-253-0500 Business Owners' Questions -- 800-789-0550 Or contact.... California Energy Commission Energy Call Center 1516 Ninth Street, MS-25 Sacramento, CA 95814 Phone: 1-800-555-7794 (in Calif.) or 916-654-4058 (outside Calif.) Hours: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. E-mail: renewable@energy.state.ca.us

Page Updated: November 27, 2002