This bill would require the commission to establish a process for the owner of a data center, as defined, to submit specified information to the commission, including, among other information, the data center’s location and size, the data center’s power usage effectiveness, as defined, and the quantity of fuel consumed by onsite generators or other fuel-based energy systems, as specified. The bill would require the owner of a data center to submit the required information in the manner and timeframe specified by the commission. The bill would require the commission, beginning with the 2029 integrated energy policy report, and in subsequent biennial reports, to include an assessment of electrical load trends for data centers, as provided. The bill would require the commission to annually publish the information submitted in an anonymized and aggregated format on its internet website.
The bill would require the owner or developer of a data center, upon applying for a discretionary permit, entitlement, or land use authorization required for the construction or operation of the data center, to submit to the applicable local agency, as defined, specified information, including the expected annual energy consumption, as specified, and the expected sound levels attributable to the operation of the data center, as provided. The bill would authorize the local agency to use this information for various purposes, including, but not limited to, land use planning, infrastructure planning, energy supply assessment, and environmental review.
The bill would prohibit the commission or a local agency from disclosing the information, described above in a manner that would result in the disclosure of identifiable information or energy consumption data for a data center customer, except as provided. The bill would require the commission to establish a process for the owner of a data center to obtain an exemption from reporting data that would jeopardize trade secrets if disclosed.
