(a) The commission may enforce the provisions of Sections 2102, 2103, 2104, 2105, 2107, 2108, and 2114 against electric service providers as if those electric service providers were public utilities as defined in these code sections. Notwithstanding the above, nothing in this section grants the commission jurisdiction to regulate electric service providers other than as specifically set forth in this part. Electric service providers shall continue to be subject to the provisions of Sections 2111 and 2112. Upon a finding by the commission’s executive director that there is evidence to support a finding that the electric service provider has committed an act constituting grounds for suspension or revocation of registration as set forth in subdivision (b) of Section 394.25, the commission shall notify the electric service provider in writing and notice an expedited hearing on the suspension or revocation of the electric service provider’s registration to be held within 30 days of the notification to the electric service provider of the executive director’s finding of evidence to support suspension or revocation of registration. The commission shall, within 45 days after holding the hearing, issue a decision on the suspension or revocation of registration, which shall be based on findings of fact and conclusions of law based on the evidence presented at the hearing. The decision shall include the findings of fact and the conclusions of law relied upon.
(b) An electric service provider may have its registration suspended or revoked, immediately or prospectively, in whole or in part, for any of the following acts:
(1) Making material misrepresentations in the course of soliciting customers, entering into service agreements with those customers, or administering those service agreements.
(2) Dishonesty, fraud, or deceit with the intent to substantially benefit the electric service provider or its employees, agents, or representatives, or to disadvantage retail electricity customers.
(3) Where the commission finds that there is evidence that the electric service provider is not financially or operationally capable of providing the offered electric service.
(4) The misrepresentation of a material fact by an applicant in obtaining a registration pursuant to Section 394.
(c) Pursuant to its authority to revoke or suspend registration, the commission may suspend a registration for a specified period or revoke the registration, or in lieu of suspension or revocation, impose a moratorium on adding or soliciting additional customers. Any suspension or revocation of a registration shall require the electric service provider to cease serving customers within the boundaries of investor-owned electrical corporations, and the affected customers shall be served by the electrical corporation until the time when they may select service from another service provider. Customers shall not be liable for the payment of any early termination fees or other penalties to any electric service provider under the service agreement if the serving electric service provider’s registration is suspended or revoked.
(d) The commission shall require any electric service provider whose registration is revoked pursuant to paragraph (4) of subdivision (b) to refund all of the customer credit funds that the electric service provider received from the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 25744 of the Public Resources Code. The repayment of these funds shall be in addition to all other penalties and fines appropriately assessed the electric service provider for committing those acts under other provisions of law. All customer credit funds refunded under this subdivision shall be deposited in the Renewable Resource Trust Fund for redistribution by the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission pursuant to Chapter 8.6 (commencing with Section 25740) of Division 15 of the Public Resources Code. This subdivision may not be construed to apply retroactively.
(e) If a customer of an electric service provider or a community choice aggregator is involuntarily returned to service provided by an electrical corporation, any reentry fee imposed on that customer that the commission deems is necessary to avoid imposing costs on other customers of the electrical corporation shall be the obligation of the electric service provider or a community choice aggregator, except in the case of a customer returned due to default in payment or other contractual obligations or because the customer’s contract has expired. As a condition of its registration, an electric service provider or a community choice aggregator shall post a bond or demonstrate insurance sufficient to cover those reentry fees. In the event that an electric service provider becomes insolvent and is unable to discharge its obligation to pay reentry fees, the fees shall be allocated to the returning customers.
(Amended by Stats. 2005, Ch. 22, Sec. 169. Effective January 1, 2006.)
Last modified: October 25, 2018