(a)(1) The commission shall consider the cost of implementing each electrical corporation’s plan in its general rate case proceeding and shall approve the costs for wildfire risk mitigation programs and activities it determines are just and reasonable.
(2)In the commission’s discretion, each electrical corporation may establish a memorandum account to track costs incurred for wildfire risk mitigation that are unforeseen and incremental to the wildfire risk mitigation programs and activities authorized in the electrical corporation’s revenue requirements. The commission shall review the costs in the memorandum accounts and disallow recovery of those costs the commission deems unreasonable.
(3)The chief executive officer of an electrical corporation shall certify in each general rate case application that the electrical corporation has not received authorization from the commission to recover the costs in a previous proceeding, including wildfire cost recovery applications.
(b)For a general rate case application filed after January 1, 2027, all of the following apply:
(1)The electrical corporation shall file its preliminary wildfire mitigation plan approved pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 8386.3, or, if no plan has been approved by the office, the wildfire mitigation plan filed pursuant to subdivision (c) of
Section 8386, and any applicable decision from the office, with the general rate case application and shall include testimony establishing the forecast of costs necessary to implement the programs and activities in the plan.
(2)The commission shall consult with the office regarding the programs and activities in the plan in rendering its decision pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (a). The commission’s decision shall constitute approval of the revenue requirement necessary to implement the electrical corporation’s wildfire mitigation plan.
(3)Within 45 days of the commission’s decision rendered pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) or any commission
order modifying that decision, the electrical corporation shall submit a revised wildfire mitigation plan to the office that conforms to the commission’s revenue authorization. The office shall review and either approve or request modifications to the revised wildfire mitigation plan submitted in accordance with the revenue authorized pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (a). The office shall approve the revised wildfire mitigation plan within two months of submission. After approval by the office, the electrical corporation shall file the approved revised wildfire mitigation plan as an information-only submittal with the commission.
(c)Nothing in this section shall be interpreted as a restriction or limitation on Article 1 (commencing with Section 451) of Chapter 3 of Part 1 of Division 1.