Southern California Edison Co. v. Public Utilities Commission

We issued a writ of review in this case to consider the lawfulness of certain rulings by the Public Utilities Commission (Commission), revising a formula adopted pursuant to Public Utilities Code section 390, subdivision (b), which is used to determine the amount petitioner Southern California Edison (Edison) is required to pay certain providers of small amounts of electricity. We affirm the decisions of the Commission except as modified.

Procedural Background

On March 27, 2001, in Decision No. 01-03-067 (Decision) the Commission instituted a new formula by which to measure a portion of a utility’s short run avoided costs (SRAC). (Cal.P.U.C. Decision Modifying Decision 96-12-028 (Mar. 27, 2001) Dec. No. 01-03-067.) Edison’s petition for rehearing was denied by the Commission in Decision No. 01-12-025, on December 11, 2001. (Cal.P.U.C. Order Modifying Decision 01-03-067 and Denying Rehearing, as Modified (Dec. 11, 2001) Dec. No. 01-12-025.) The petitions for rehearing of the other parties, who are essentially members of a trade association of owners or owners of small electric generation facilities, were denied in Decision No. 02-02-028 on February 8, 2002. (Cal.P.U.C.…