San Francisco (Platts)--2Apr2009

The California Assembly's Utilities and Commerce Committee late Wednesday
approved on an 8-5 vote a bill that would require power suppliers in the state
to source 33% of their electricity from renewable generation by 2020.

The state Senate approved a similar bill Tuesday. Both the Assembly bill
(A.B. 64) sponsored by Assemblyman Paul Krekorian, and the Senate bill (S.B.
14) sponsored by Senator Sam Simitian, would require publicly owned utilities
as well as investor-owned utilities to meet the 33% target.

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2008 signed an executive
order calling for a 33% renewable portfolio standard by 2020. The state's
current renewables mandate is 20% by 2010.

Ed Randolph, chief consultant for the Assembly Utilities and Commerce
Committee, said he is "extremely confident that a 33% renewables bill will go
to the governor's desk this year.

"The goal of a 33% renewables RPS has support of a majority of members of
both houses of the Legislature and the governor," Randolph added.

--Lisa Weinzimer, lisa_weinzimer@platts.com