(a) (1) If the commission determines that a moratorium on new natural gas service connections is necessary to prevent substantial and imminent harm or to ensure gas system reliability, the commission shall state the necessity for the action in a report provided to all of the following entities:

(A) The Assembly Committee on Utilities and Energy.

(B) The Senate Committee on Energy, Utilities and Communications.

(C) All affected gas corporations.

(2) The commission shall include in the report to the policy committees of the Legislature specified in paragraph (1) factual findings supporting the need to propose a moratorium on new natural gas service connections. The report shall include, but is not limited to, all of the following:

(A) The number of pending gas service connection applications with each affected gas corporation.

(B) The estimated gas load deferred under the proposed moratorium.

(C) The system constraints that led to the proposed moratorium.

(D) Alternative actions considered to address the proposed need for a moratorium, including increasing or restoring natural gas transmission and storage infrastructure, and the reason those actions were not taken or were insufficient.

(E) The process for a customer to request an exemption from the moratorium.

(b) When a gas corporation receives notification from the commission that an action is pending to suspend new gas service connections, the gas corporation shall immediately notify any known potential or current customers that may experience a service impact as a result of the proposed suspension.

(c) The commission shall, at the yearly informational hearings pursuant to Section 321.6, present to the Assembly Committee on Utilities and Energy and the Senate Committee on Energy, Utilities and Communications the status of natural gas service connections and efforts to provide natural gas supply.

(Added by Stats. 2018, Ch. 481, Sec. 1. (AB 1879) Effective September 18, 2018.)