The Overview

If you’re waiting on San Diego Gas and Electric to turn on the power at a finished building, home or EV charger, the utility will soon face firm deadlines to get it done. Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) signed Assembly Bill 2518 on Sunday, Sept. 27. It sets up a pilot program that runs from Jan. 1, 2027, through Jan. 1, 2030. ​

Finished projects can sit empty for months while they wait to be connected to the grid. Assemblymember LaShae Sharp-Collins (D-San Diego), who wrote the bill, said it aims to keep affordable housing, schools and hospitals from standing vacant after construction wraps up. Statewide, utility regulators now aim for an average of 182 calendar days to connect most new projects, according to a state Senate committee analysis.

What the Law Does

Once San Diego Gas and Electric decides a project is construction-ready, it must power the project up within set deadlines. Construction-ready means permits, inspections and easements are done and crews can reach the site. The deadlines are:

  • 40 business days for affordable housing, health facilities and buildings that provide essential services.
  • 55 business days for city and county facilities and EV chargers.
  • 70 business days for everything else.

The clock pauses if a problem specific to a project keeps the utility from connecting it safely. The utility must also show how it is meeting these deadlines in the twice-yearly reports it already files with the California Public Utilities Commission, the state agency that regulates utilities.

Legislative Status

Assemblymember Laurie Davies (R-Laguna Niguel) and Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur (D-Los Angeles) joined Sharp-Collins as coauthors. The Assembly passed the bill 77-0 on May 14 and the Senate passed it 40-0 on Aug. 27. The Assembly agreed to the Senate’s changes 79-0 on Aug. 30, according to the FastDemocracy vote record.

The San Diego Housing Federation sponsored the bill. San Diego Gas and Electric supported it and told senators the deadlines were achievable, according to CalMatters Digital Democracy. No opposition was on file, though utilities commission staff warned the bill could duplicate the commission’s own work on connection timelines.

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