Cal. Pub. Res. Code § 25702 — Energy Shortage Contingency Planning

The commission shall, after one or more public hearings, review the emergency load curtailment program plans or emergency energy supply distribution plans submitted pursuant to Section 25701, and, within one year after the effective date of this division, the commission shall approve and recommend to the Governor and the Legislature plans for emergency load curtailment and energy supply distribution in the event of a sudden energy shortage. Such plans shall be based upon the plans presented by the electric utilities, gas utilities, and fuel wholesalers or manufacturers, information provided by other governmental agencies, independent analysis and study by the commission and information provided at the hearing or hearings. Such plans shall provide for the provision of essential services, the protection of public health, safety, and welfare, and the maintenance of a sound basic state economy. Provision shall be made in such plans to eliminate wasteful, uneconomic, and unnecessary uses of energy in times of shortages and to differentiate curtailment of energy consumption by users on the basis of ability to accommodate such curtailments. Such plans shall also specify the authority of and recommend the appropriate actions of state and local governmental agencies in dealing with energy shortages.