ARTICLE 2. Oversight Board [334. - 343.]

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC 2.

in effect

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 334. Section 334.

The Legislature finds and declares that in order to ensure the success of electric industry restructuring, in the transition to a new market structure it is important to ensure a reliable supply of electricity. Reliable electric service is of paramount importance to the safety, health, and comfort of the people of California. Transmission connections between electric utilities allow them to share generation resources and reduce the number of powerplants necessary to maintain a reliable system. The connections between utilities also create exposure to events that can cause widespread and extended transmission and service outages that reach far beyond the originating utility service area. California utilities and those in the western United States voluntarily adhere to reliability standards developed by the Western Electricity Coordinating Council. The economic cost of extended electricity outages, such as those that occurred in California and throughout the Western Electricity Coordinating Council on July 2, 1996, and August 10, 1996, to California’s residential, commercial, agricultural, and industrial customers is significant. The proposed restructuring of the electricity industry would transfer responsibility for ensuring short- and long-term reliability away from electric utilities and regulatory bodies to the Independent System Operator and various market-based mechanisms. The Legislature has an interest in ensuring that the change in the locus of responsibility for reliability does not expose California citizens to undue economic risk in connection with system reliability.

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 335. Section 335.

In order to ensure that the interests of the people of California are served, a five-member Electricity Oversight Board is hereby created as provided in Section 336. For purposes of this chapter, any reference to the Oversight Board shall mean the Electricity Oversight Board. Its functions shall be all of the following: (a) To oversee the Independent System Operator and the Power Exchange. (b) To determine the composition and terms of service and to exercise the exclusive right to decline to confirm the appointments of specific members of the governing board of the Power Exchange. (c) To serve as an appeal board for majority decisions of the Independent System Operator governing board, as they relate to matters subject to exclusive state jurisdiction, as specified in Section 339. (d) Those members of the Power Exchange governing board whose appointments the Oversight Board has the exclusive right to decline to confirm include proposed governing board members representing agricultural end users, industrial end users, commercial end users, residential end users, end users at large, nonmarket participants, and public interest groups. (e) To investigate any matter related to the wholesale market for electricity to ensure that the interests of California’s citizens and consumers are served, protected, and represented in relation to the availability of electric transmission and generation and related costs, during periods of peak demand.

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 336. Section 336.

(a) The five-member Oversight Board shall be comprised as follows: (1) Three members, who are California residents and electricity ratepayers, appointed by the Governor from a list jointly provided by the Energy Commission and the Public Utilities Commission, and subject to confirmation by the Senate. (2) One member of the Assembly appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly. (3) One member of the Senate appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules. (b) Legislative members shall be nonvoting members, however, they are otherwise full members of the board with all rights and privileges pertaining thereto. (c) Oversight Board members shall serve three-year terms with no limit on reappointment. For purposes of the initial appointments set forth in paragraph (1), the Governor shall appoint one member to a one-year term, one to a two-year term, and one to a three-year term. (d) The Governor shall designate one of the voting members as the chairperson of the Oversight Board who shall preside over meetings and direct the executive director in the routine administration of the Oversight Board’s business. The chairperson may designate one of the other voting members to preside over meetings in the absence of the chairperson. (e) Two voting members shall constitute a quorum. Any decision or action of the Oversight Board shall be by majority vote of the voting members. (f) The members of the Oversight Board shall serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for all necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties.

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 337. Section 337.

(a) The Independent System Operator governing board shall comprise a five-member independent governing board of directors appointed by the Governor and subject to confirmation by the Senate. Any reference in this chapter or in any other provision of law to the Independent System Operator governing board means the independent governing board appointed under this subdivision. (b) A member of the independent governing board appointed under subdivision (a) may not be affiliated with any actual or potential participant in any market administered by the Independent System Operator. (c) (1) All appointments shall be for three-year terms. (2) There is no limit on the number of terms that may be served by any member. (d) The Oversight Board shall require the articles of incorporation and bylaws of the Independent System Operator to be revised in accordance with this section, and shall make filings with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission as the Oversight Board determines to be necessary. (e) For purposes of the initial appointments to the Independent System Operator governing board, as provided in subdivision (a), the Governor shall appoint one member to a one-year term, two members to a two-year term, and two members to a three-year term.

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 338. Section 338.

The Oversight Board shall have the exclusive right to approve procedures and the qualifications for Power Exchange governing board members specified in subdivision (d) of Section 335, all of whom shall be required to be electricity customers in the area served by the Power Exchange. The Power Exchange governing board shall include, but not be limited to, representatives of investor-owned electric distribution companies, publicly owned electric distribution companies, nonutility generators, public buyers and sellers, private buyers and sellers, industrial end-users, commercial end-users, residential end-users, agricultural end-users, public interest groups, and nonmarket participant representatives. The structural composition of the Power Exchange governing board existing on July 1, 1999, shall remain in effect until an agreement with a participating state is legally in effect. However, prior to such an agreement, California shall retain the right to change the Power Exchange governing board into a nonstakeholder board. In the event of such a legislative change, revised bylaws shall be filed with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission under Section 205 of the Federal Power Act (16 U.S.C.A. Sec. 824d).

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 339. Section 339.

(a) The Oversight Board is the appeal board for majority decisions of the Independent System Operator governing board relating to matters that are identified in subdivision (b) as they pertain to the Independent System Operator. (b) The following matters are subject to California’s exclusive jurisdiction: (1) Selections by California of governing board members, as described in Sections 335, 337, and 338. (2) Matters pertaining to retail electric service or retail sales of electric energy. (3) Ensuring that the purposes and functions of the Independent System Operator and Power Exchange are consistent with the purposes and functions of California nonprofit public benefit corporations, including duties of care and conflict of interest standards for directors of the corporations. (4) State functions assigned to the Independent System Operator and Power Exchange under state law. (5) Open meeting standards and meeting notice requirements. (6) Appointment of advisory representatives representing state interests. (7) Public access to corporate records. (8) The amendment of bylaws relevant to these matters. (c) Only members of the Independent System Operator governing board may appeal a majority decision of the Independent System Operator related to any of the matters specified in subdivision (b) to the Oversight Board.

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 340. Section 340.

The Oversight Board shall take the steps that are necessary to ensure the earliest possible incorporation of the Independent System Operator and the Power Exchange as separately incorporated public benefit, nonprofit corporations under the Corporations Code.

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 341. Section 341.

The Oversight Board may do all of the following: (a) Meet at the times and places it may deem proper. (b) Accept appropriations, grants, or contributions from any public source, private foundation, or individual. (c) Sue and be sued. (d) Contract with state, local, or federal agencies for services or work required by the Oversight Board. (e) Contract for or employ any services or work required by the Oversight Board that in its opinion cannot satisfactorily be performed by its staff or by other state agencies. (f) Appoint advisory committees from members of other public agencies and private groups or individuals. (g) As a body, or on the authorization of the Oversight Board, as a subcommittee composed of one or more members, hold hearings at the times and places it may deem proper. (h) Issue subpoenas to compel the production of books, records, papers, accounts, reports, and documents and the attendance of witnesses. (i) Administer oaths. (j) Adopt or amend rules and regulations to carry out the purposes and provisions of this chapter, and to govern the procedures of the Oversight Board. (k) Exercise any authority consistent with this chapter delegated to it by a federal agency or authorized to it by federal law. ( l ) Make recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature at the time or times the Oversight Board deems necessary. (m) Participate in proceedings relevant to the purposes of this chapter or to the purposes of Division 4.9 (commencing with Section 9600) or, as part of any coordinated effort by the state, participate in activities to promote the formation of interstate agreements to enhance the reliability and function of the electricity system and the electricity market. (n) Do any and all other things necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter.

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 341.1. Section 341.1.

Regulations adopted within 120 days of the effective date of this section may be adopted as emergency regulations in accordance with Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of the Government Code, and for the purposes of that chapter, including Section 11349.6 of the Government Code, the adoption of the regulations shall be considered by the Office of Administrative Law to be necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, safety, and general welfare.

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 341.2. Section 341.2.

The Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act (Article 9 (commencing with Section 11120) of Chapter 1 of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code) applies to meetings of the Oversight Board. In addition to the allowances of that act, the Oversight Board may hold a closed session to consider the appointment of one or more candidates to the governing board of the Power Exchange, deliberate on matters involving the removal of a member of the governing board of the Power Exchange, or to consider a matter based on information that has received a grant of confidential status pursuant to regulations of the Oversight Board, provided that any action taken on such a matter shall be taken by vote in an open session.

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 341.3. Section 341.3.

Voting members of the Oversight Board shall be required to file financial disclosure statements with the Fair Political Practices Commission. The appointing authority for voting members shall avoid appointing persons with conflicts of interest.

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 341.4. Section 341.4.

The Oversight Board shall appoint, and fix the salary of, an executive director who shall have charge of administering the affairs of the Oversight Board, including entering into contracts, subject to the direction and policies of the Oversight Board. Notwithstanding Sections 11042 and 11043 of the Government Code, the Oversight Board shall appoint an attorney who shall advise the Oversight Board and each member and represent the Oversight Board as a party in any state or federal action or proceeding related to the purposes of this chapter or to an action of the Oversight Board and who shall perform generally all the duties of attorney to the Oversight Board. For purposes of this section, the Oversight Board may appoint a person exempt pursuant to subdivision (e) of Section 4 of Article VII of the California Constitution. The executive director shall, in accordance with Article VII of the California Constitution and subject to the approval of the Oversight Board, appoint employees as may be necessary to carry out the Oversight Board’s duties and responsibilities.

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 341.5. Section 341.5.

(a) The Independent System Operator and Power Exchange bylaws shall contain provisions that identify those matters specified in subdivision (b) of Section 339 as matters within state jurisdiction. The bylaws shall also contain provisions which state that California’s bylaws approval function with respect to the matters specified in subdivision (b) of Section 339 shall not preclude the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission from taking any action necessary to address undue discrimination or other violations of the Federal Power Act (16 U.S.C.A. Sec. 791a et seq.) or to exercise any other commission responsibility under the Federal Power Act. In taking any such action, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission shall give due respect to California’s jurisdictional interests in the functions of the Independent System Operator and Power Exchange and to attempt to accommodate state interests to the extent those interests are not inconsistent with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s statutory responsibilities. The bylaws shall state that any future agreement regarding the apportionment of the Independent System Operator and Power Exchange board appointment function among participating states associated with the expansion of the Independent System Operator and Power Exchange into multistate entities shall be filed with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission pursuant to Section 205 of the Federal Power Act (16 U.S.C.A. Sec. 824d). (b) Any necessary bylaw changes to implement the provisions of Section 335, 337, 338, 339, or subdivision (a) of this section, or changes required pursuant to an agreement as contemplated by subdivision (a) of this section with a participating state for a regional organization, shall be effective upon approval of the respective governing boards and the Oversight Board and acceptance for filing by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 343. Section 343.

(a) The Attorney General shall represent the Department of Finance and shall succeed to, and may exercise, all rights, claims, powers, and entitlements of the Electricity Oversight Board in any litigation or settlement to obtain ratepayer recovery for the effects of the 2000–02 energy crisis. This section does not require the Attorney General to litigate any claim, or take any other action, as successor to the Electricity Oversight Board. (b) The Attorney General shall not distribute or expend the proceeds of any settlements of claims described in subdivision (a), except in accordance with Article 9.5 (commencing with Section 16428.1) of Chapter 2 of Part 2 of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code and Division 27 (commencing with Section 80000) of the Water Code. (c) The Attorney General shall not distribute or expend the proceeds of any settlements of claims allocated to the Electricity Oversight Board.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026