The Energy Commission verifies the eligibility of renewable energy procured by load-serving entities, which include retail sellers, publicly owned utilities (POUs), and all other entities serving retail sales of electricity in California that are obligated to participate and report to the RPS.

For POUs, the Energy Commission determines the Portfolio Content Category classification of procurement claims, calculates procurement requirements, and determines RPS compliance.

The verification program establishes the rules and procedures that Energy Commission will use to determine if the POU meets the required RPS procurement requirements. After the verification reports are adopted, the compliance determination begins according with the RPS POU regulations.

The Energy Commission is authorized to issue violation notices for noncompliance and refer the POU to the California Air Resources Board to assess penalties.

California’s load-serving entities are required to procure electricity from eligible renewable resources to meet the following goals:

  • 33 percent by the end of 2020
  • 44 percent by the end of 2024
  • 52 percent by the end of 2027
  • 60 percent by the end of 2030

Load-serving entities (LSEs) include POUs, investor-owned utilities (IOUs), electricity service providers (ESPs), and community choice aggregators (CCAs).

RPS targets are verified based on a multiyear accounting period rather than annual accounting. These multiyear periods are compliance periods:

  • Compliance Period 1: 2011-2013
  • Compliance Period 2: 2014-2016
  • Compliance Period 3: 2017-2020
  • Compliance Period 4: 2021-2024
  • Compliance Period 5: 2025-2027
  • Compliance Period 6: 2028-2030

The Energy Commission compiles verification analyses for all LSEs in a verification results report. The Energy Commission adopts verification results reports for each compliance period. Once the results are adopted, the process begins to determine if POUs comply with statutes and the RPS POU regulations.

For each compliance period, results from the verification analyses covered in this report will be issued separately for retail sellers and POUs.

RPS Verification for POUs

RPS Verification for Retail Sellers

Retail Sellers and POUs must report their RPS procurement claims annually to the Energy Commission on or before July 1* of each year. 

The reporting instructions, checklist, and forms are below:

Reporting Form Description

e-Tag Report Form (POUs Only)

e-Tag Report Instructions (POUs Only)

Summary Report for e-Tags not tracked in Western Renewable Energy Generation Information System (WREGIS) for POUs.

Hourly Report Form (POUs Only)

Hourly Report Instructions (POUs Only)

Report for hourly meter and hourly e-Tag schedule data for procurement claims made by POUs from facilities that are not directly interconnected to a California Balancing Authority.

*Of each calendar year, or the following business day if due date falls on a weekend or state holiday. Reporting due date is July 1 every year unless otherwise extended by the CEC Executive Director as authorized by the applicable RPS Guidebook. If extended an email notification will be sent out to the Renewable list serve.

The updates to the Enforcement Procedures for the Renewables Portfolio Standard for the Local Publicly Owned Electric Utilities (RPS POU Regulations), were adopted by the California Energy Commission (CEC) in December 2020 and became effective July 12, 2021. Compliance Period 4 (2021-2024) reporting forms and guidance documents are included below.

Reporting Forms & Guidance Documents Description
Regulatory Advisory Advisory clarifying the classification of contracts with both short-term and long-term underlying resources under the Enforcement Procedures for the Renewables Portfolio Standard for Local Publicly Owned Electric Utilities.
Joint Powers Authority or Third-Party Supplier Contract Attestation Form Attestation form for POUs submitting long-term contracts with a JPA or third-party supplier to establish that underlying contract(s) between the JPA or third-party supplier and RPS-certified facilities supplying the electricity products to the POU meet the applicable portions in section 3204 (d)(2)(A)-(C) of the RPS POU Regulations.

Voluntary Request for Early Review of Contracts

Instructions for filing Petition for Reconsideration

Form for POUs requesting voluntary early review of a new contract to determine if the contract qualifies as a long-term contract pursuant to section 3204 (d)(2)(A)-(C) , subject to the limitations in section 3207 (c)(5)(A)1.i-ii.
WREGIS Subaccount Naming Guidance Instructions providing standardized subaccount naming conventions with details on long and short-term classification for compliance period 4 (2021-2024).

Renaming Guidance for WREGIS Subaccounts

Instructions for POUs requesting a WREGIS subaccount name change to accommodate for reporting requirements pursuant to section 3207 (c)(2)(D) of theRPS POU Regulations. This document also provides instructions for submitting the long-term procurement requirement classifications of claims for POUs who cannot rename their subaccounts in WREGIS.

 

Verification Methodology 
The methods used by the Energy Commission to verify load-serving entity procurement claims. 

The RPS Guidebook 
The guidebook describes the eligibility requirements and processes for certifying renewable resources as eligible for California's RPS, as well as how the Energy Commission tracks and verifies compliance with the RPS.

POU Enforcement Regulations 
Procedures on the enforcement of the RPS for POUs. 

RPS Online System 
A web-based online system used to streamline the RPS certification application and reporting processes.

 

Contact

RPSTrack
RPSTrack@energy.ca.gov

916-653-6222

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