The CAISO operates a wholesale energy market primarily in California through which competing electricity generators offer their electricity output to market participants, including electricity retailers. The CAISO schedules power in hourly increments with hourly prices through a day-ahead market in California and schedules power in fifteen-minute and five-minute increments with fifteen-minute and five-minute prices through two real-time markets that cover California and portions of ten neighboring states through the Western Energy Imbalance Market. Both markets optimize energy procurement, ancillary service procurement, unit commitment and congestion management. SCE participates in the day-ahead and real-time markets for the sale of its own generation and generation under contract purchases for its load requirements. In December 2023, the FERC approved an Extended Day-Ahead Market ("EDAM"), giving utilities in the Western Energy Imbalance Market the option of joining a centralized day-ahead market run by the CAISO. The EDAM gives utilities an opportunity to lock in energy prices a day in advance, and thereby substantially avoid volatility in the real-time energy market.
The CPUC's Resource Adequacy program imposes resource adequacy requirements on load-serving entities like SCE that are designed to provide sufficient resources to the CAISO to ensure the safe and reliable operation of the grid in real time. The CPUC has adopted a central procurement structure in SCE's distribution service area for local resource adequacy that transfers the responsibility for procuring local resource adequacy from other local load-serving entities to SCE, as a central procurement entity ("CPE") for its distribution service area. Under this structure, while SCE procures local resource adequacy to meet the local resource adequacy requirement for its distribution service area, other load-serving entities can also procure their own local resources. Load-serving entities that procure their own local resources can: (i) sell the capacity to SCE, (ii) utilize the resources, or (iii) voluntarily show the resources to meet their own needs, thereby reducing the amount of local resource adequacy the CPE will need to procure and reducing the total CPE procurement costs shared by all load-serving entities in that distribution service area.
Following state-wide rotating outages in August 2020 that impacted a significant number of SCE's customers, the CPUC has taken action towards ensuring reliable electric service in the event that an extreme heat events occur during summer. The CPUC has issued decisions requiring at least an aggregate of 15,500 MW of additional net qualifying renewable or zero-emitting capacity to be procured collectively by all of the load-serving entities subject to the CPUC's Integrated Resource Planning purview. The aggregate additional capacity is required by 2028, with 2,000 MW required by 2023, an additional 6,000 MW required by 2024, an additional 1,500 MW required by 2025, an additional 2,000 MW required by 2026, an additional 2,000 MW required by 2027, and an additional 2,000 MW of long-duration storage and firm zero-emitting resources required by 2028; 2,500 MW of the aggregate procurement requirement through 2025 must be through generation or generation paired with storage. SCE's allocation of the requirements is 705 MW by 2023, 2,114 MW by 2024, 529 MW by 2025, 684 MW by 2026, 684 MW by 2027, and 705 MW of long-duration storage and firm zero-emitting resources by 2028, for a total of 5,421 MW; 880 MW of the aggregate procurement requirement through 2025 must be through generation or generation paired with storage. SCE met its 2023 capacity requirements. As of December 31, 2023, SCE had procured over 4,440 MW of additional net qualifying renewable or zero-emitting capacity with expected online dates in 2023 through 2028; most of this capacity has not yet come online. SCE has procured approximately 80 percent of the generation needed to meet its 880 MW aggregate procurement requirement for generation or generation paired with storage by 2025, but that generation is not expected to come online until 2026. SCE continues to actively pursue and execute various actions to procure additional capacity and energy. For instance, in June 2023, the CPUC approved SCE entering into six lithium-ion battery storage contracts with a total capacity of approximately 625 MW, which are expected to provide approximately 572 MW of capacity towards SCE's allocation of the 15,500 MW procurement requirement. The contracts range from 10-15 years and the projects are expected to be in service in 2023 and 2024.
In February 2024, the CPUC adopted a decision approving SCE's integrated resource plan identifying the resources needed to meet California's greenhouse gas emissions and reliability targets and authorizing SCE to procure the resources needs identified in its plan. Additionally, the CPUC approved a process to request extensions of the 2028 procurement requirement for long-duration storage and firm zero-emitting resources to no later than 2031. The CPUC also denied SCE's request for extension of the 2025 aggregate procurement requirement for generation or generation paired with storage to 2027.
In May 2023, the CAISO released its 2022 – 2023 Transmission Plan based on the CPUC's projections that it needs to add more than 40 gigawatts of new resources by 2032. As the incumbent transmission owner for a portion of these transmission projects, SCE expects to construct projects representing at least $2 billion of expenditures, most of which will be incurred beyond 2028. In October of 2023, SCE, in association with Lotus Infrastructure Global Operations, LLC, submitted bids for two transmission projects that were approved as part of the 2022-2023 CAISO Transmission Planning Process. The CAISO will announce the successful bidders in 2024.
Competition
SCE faces retail competition in the sale of electricity to the extent that federal and California laws permit other sources to provide electricity and related services to retail customers within SCE's service area. While retail competition impacts customer rates it does not impact SCE's earnings activities because the volume of electricity sales is decoupled from authorized revenue. The increased retail competition is from governmental entities formed by cities, counties, and certain other public agencies to generate and/or purchase electricity for their local residents and businesses, known as CCAs. While California law provides only limited opportunities for customers in SCE's service area to choose to purchase power directly from an Electric Service Provider, a limited, phased-in expansion of customer choice ("Direct Access") for nonresidential customers was authorized beginning in 2009, and an additional limited expansion of Direct Access was authorized in 2018. When a customer who had previously taken bundled service from SCE converts to taking retail electricity service from an Electric Service Provider or a CCA, SCE remains that customer's transmission and distribution provider. Other forms of departing load include customer generation, and load that departs SCE service entirely to take electricity service from a publicly owned utility or a tribal utility.
California law requires bundled service customers remain financially indifferent to departing load customers and to the mass return of departing load customers in the event of an Electric Service Provider or CCA's failure or other service termination. The CPUC has issued a series of decisions designed to avoid cost shifting in the context of departing load, including revising the power charge indifference adjustment methodology to effectively address the cost shifts to bundled service customers.
Investor-owned utilities serve as the default providers of last resort in their respective service areas and can be significantly impacted by the Electric Service Providers or CCAs failing or otherwise exiting the market. In March 2021, the CPUC initiated a rulemaking to examine the risks of catastrophic failures by Electric Service Providers or CCAs on investor-owned utilities and the need for any changes in the regulatory framework to increase consumer protections and financial security requirements, among other measures.
As of year-end 2023, SCE had twelve CCAs serving customers in its service territory that represented approximately 21% of SCE's total service load. While one CCA provided its notice to mass return a segment of its customers to SCE's bundled service in 2024, two CCAs expanded in SCE's service territory in 2023. One expanded CCA has been approved by the CPUC to serve customers in SCE's service territory in 2024. Based on recent load statistics, SCE anticipates that Direct Access and CCA load will be approximately 37% of its total service load by the end of 2024.
Customer-owned power generation and storage alternatives, such as rooftop solar facilities and battery systems, are increasingly used by SCE's customers as a result of technological developments, federal and state subsidies, and declining costs of such alternatives. Beginning in 2020, and subject to certain exceptions, all newly built homes in California are required to have solar installations.
California legislation passed in 1995 encouraged private residential and commercial investment in renewable energy resources by requiring SCE and other investor-owned utilities to offer a NEM billing option to customers who install eligible power generation systems to supply all or part of their energy needs. NEM customers are interconnected to SCE's grid and credited for the net difference between the electricity SCE supplied to them through the grid and the electricity the customer exported to SCE over a 12-month period. SCE is required to credit the NEM customer for most of the power they sell back to SCE at the retail rate. Through the credit they receive, NEM customers effectively avoid paying certain grid-related costs. NEM customers are also exempted from some non-bypassable, standby and departing load charges and interconnection fees. Electric Service Providers and CCAs may, but are not required by law to, offer NEM rates.
In January 2016, the CPUC issued a decision adopting a new standard NEM tariff for customers with renewable generation systems. The changes that the CPUC decision made to the existing NEM tariff did not significantly impact the NEM subsidy. Specifically, the decision required customers that take service on SCE's NEM tariff after June 2017 to continue to be compensated at the retail rate, minus certain non-bypassable charges. NEM customers also continued to be exempted from standby and departing load charges but were required to pay a $75 interconnection fee and to select a time-of-use retail rate.
In August 2020, the CPUC initiated a rulemaking to develop a successor to the NEM tariffs. In December 2022, the CPUC issued final decision reducing the current NEM subsidy by decoupling export compensation from the retail rate. Under the final decision, the CPUC deferred consideration of whether to assess a grid participation charge to address the costs participating customers avoid by reducing the electricity they purchase from SCE and whether to adopt other mechanisms that would allow SCE to recover its cost of service and the costs of many public policy programs to another pending proceeding. The final decision also provides an enhanced subsidy for lower income customers and customers who pair rooftop solar with energy storage systems. The final decision does not apply to existing NEM customers until after they have completed twenty years on their existing NEM tariff, at which time they will move to the new, reduced tariff.
The effect of these types of competition on SCE generally is to reduce the amount of electricity purchased from SCE by retail customers. Customers who use alternative electricity sources typically continue to utilize and pay for SCE's transmission and distribution services, however, current NEM customers utilize, but do not pay the full cost for, those services. While changes in volume or rates generally do not impact SCE's earnings activities, decreased retail electricity sales by SCE has the effect of increasing utility rates because the costs of the distribution grid are not currently borne by all customers that benefit from its use. There is currently an open proceeding pending at the CPUC where the CPUC is required to authorize an income-graduated fixed charge for certain residential rates by July 1, 2024.See "Risk Factors-Risks Relating to Southern California Edison Company-Competitive and Market Risks."
In the area of transmission infrastructure, SCE has experienced increased competition from independent transmission providers under the FERC's transmission planning requirements rules, effective in 2011, that removed the incumbent public utility transmission owners' federally-based right of first refusal to construct certain new transmission facilities and mandated regional and interregional transmission planning. Regional entities, such as independent system operators, have processes for regional and interregional transmission planning and the competitive solicitation and selection of developers (including incumbent utilities) to build and own certain types of new transmission projects. The CAISO has held competitive solicitations pursuant to these rules and independent service providers were selected.
SCE supplies electricity to its customers through extensive transmission and distribution networks. Its transmission facilities, which are located primarily in California but also in Nevada and Arizona, deliver power from generating sources to the distribution network and consist of approximately 13,000 circuit-miles of lines ranging from 55 kV to 500 kV and approximately 80 transmission substations. SCE's distribution system, which takes power from distribution substations to customers, consists of approximately 38,000 circuit-miles of overhead lines, approximately 31,000 circuit-miles of underground lines and approximately 730 distribution substations.
At December 31, 2023, SCE had ownership interests in generating and energy storage facilities, primarily located in California, with approximately 7,000 MW of net physical capacity, of which SCE's pro-rata share is approximately 3,000 MW. SCE's pro rata share includes approximately 258 MW of capacity from facilities that were not operational or out of service at December 31, 2023 and excludes retired facilities. In addition to its current facilities, in October 2021, SCE contracted for the construction of utility owned storage at three sites in SCE's service territory with an aggregate capacity of 537.5 MW. See "Liquidity and Capital Resources-Capital Investment Plan-Utility Owned Storage Projects " in the MD&A.
Certain of SCE's substations, and portions of its transmission, distribution and communication systems are located on lands owned by the federal, state or local governments under licenses, permits, easements or leases, or on public streets or highways pursuant to franchises. Certain of the documents evidencing such rights obligate SCE, under specified circumstances and at its expense, to relocate such transmission, distribution, and communication facilities located on lands owned or controlled by federal, state, or local governments.
SCE owns and operates hydroelectric plants and related reservoirs, the majority of which are located in whole or in part on U.S.-owned lands and are subject to FERC licenses. Slightly over half of these plants have FERC licenses that expire at various times through 2046. FERC licenses impose numerous restrictions and obligations on SCE, including the right of the United States to acquire projects upon payment of specified compensation. When existing licenses expire, the FERC has the authority to issue new licenses to third parties that have filed competing license applications, but only if their license application is superior to SCE's and then only upon payment of specified compensation to SCE. New licenses issued to SCE are expected to contain more restrictions and obligations than the expired licenses because laws enacted since the existing licenses were issued require the FERC to give environmental objectives greater consideration in the licensing process. In addition, SCE expects additional opposition to new licenses by environmental stakeholder groups. If, in the future, SCE decides to, or is forced to, decommission one or more hydroelectric projects, the costs related to the decommissioning will be substantial. The CPUC approved SCE recovering a portion of estimated of decommissioning costs for hydroelectric projects in the 2021 GRC.
Substantially all of SCE's properties are subject to the lien of a trust indenture securing first and refunding mortgage bonds. See "Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements-Note 5. Debt and Credit Agreements."
Seasonality
Due to warm weather during the summer months and SCE's rate design, operating revenue during the third quarter of each year is generally higher than the other quarters. However, as discussed above, SCE earnings are not affected by changes in retail electricity sales. See "Overview of Ratemaking Process" above.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES
Wildfires in SCE's territory, including those where SCE's equipment has been alleged to be associated with the fire's ignition, have caused loss of life and substantial damage in recent years. Multiple factors have contributed to increased wildfire activity and faster progression of wildfires across SCE's service territory and in other areas of California. These include the buildup of dry vegetation in areas severely impacted by years of historic drought, lack of adequate clearing of hazardous fuels by responsible parties, higher temperatures, lower humidity, increased incidence of dry lightning, and strong Santa Ana winds. At the same time that wildfire risk has been increasing in Southern California, residential and commercial development has occurred and is occurring in some of the highest-risk areas. Such factors can increase the likelihood and extent of wildfires. SCE has determined that approximately 27% of its service territory is in areas identified as high fire risk.
California has experienced unprecedented weather conditions in recent years due to climate change, and SCE's service territory remains susceptible to additional wildfire activity in 2024 and beyond. The worsening weather and fuel conditions across California increase the likelihood of wildfires, including those where SCE's equipment may be alleged to be associated with the fire's ignition. In response to worsening conditions and wildfire activity in its territory in the recent past, SCE has been focused on developing and implementing plans aimed at reducing the risk of SCE equipment contributing to the ignition of wildfires, from its 2018 Grid Safety and Resiliency Program to its WMPs. In addition, California has increased its investment in wildfire prevention and fire suppression capabilities.
Multiple lawsuits related to wildfire events have been initiated against SCE and Edison International. For further information, see "Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements-Note 12. Commitments and Contingencies-Contingencies-Southern California Wildfires and Mudslides," "Risk Factors" and "Management Overview-Southern California Wildfires and Mudslides" in the MD&A.
Recovery of Wildfire-Related Costs