February 5, 2026 CPUC Voting Meeting Results: Commission Clears Path for Immediate Energization Under New Flexible Service Connection Rules

The CPUC's February 5 voting meeting authorized several notable decisions.

First and foremost, the Commission adopted a decision in the Energization rulemaking (R.24-01-018) that directs PG&E and SCE to establish a standardized, tariffed “Standard Offer” Flexible Service Connection to accelerate energization for customers facing distribution capacity constraints.

"A flexible service connection allows customers waiting for an upgrade to use power in the interim when it is safe to do so," said Commissioner Darcie Houck from the dais. "This tool allows investor-owned utilities to connect customers to the grid while limiting energy use during constrained periods and while grid upgrades proceed in a more cost-effective manner."

The Commission also adopted the following items.

• Wildfire Cost Recovery: A decision granting partial approval of PG&E’s request to recover recorded costs related to wildfire mitigation, vegetation management, catastrophic events, and several customer- and policy-driven programs, primarily incurred in 2022. The decision authorizes recovery of $1.607 billion in revenue requirement, largely reflecting wildfire mitigation activities, emergency storm response, and compliance with Commission-mandated programs, while denying $172.5 million in vegetation management costs after a reasonableness review.
• SoCalGas Distribution Integrity Management Costs: A decision partially granting SoCalGas interim recovery of costs recorded in its Distribution Integrity Management Program Balancing Account for the 2019–2023 period. The decision authorizes $35.5 million, equal to 60% of a $59.1 million request, to be recovered over a 12-month period through interim rates.
• Clean Energy Contracts: Resolution E-5445, which approves SCE’s request to enter into 10 clean energy contracts resulting from its 2024 Clean Energy Request for Offers. The approved portfolio totals 2,093 MW of nameplate capacity across 10 contracts and four projects.
• Union Island Pipeline: A decision dismissing without prejudice California Resources Production Corporation's application seeking a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity to operate the Union Island natural gas pipeline as a public utility.
• Crude Oil Transportation: Resolution O-0098, which approves San Pablo Bay Pipeline Company and Crimson California Pipeline’s request for emergency, interim rate relief on the SPB-KLM intrastate crude oil pipeline system. And separately, Resolution O-0099 which approves Phillips 66 Pipeline LLC's request to withdraw utility service on crude oil pipeline Lines 100, 200, 300, and 400 and to cancel its tariff, marking Phillips 66's complete exit from California crude pipeline utility operations.

More detail is available below.