Wildfire costs loom over California legislative session that passed solar, data center bills

California's legislature wrapped up its session with a few bills worth knowing about if you live in the state. One legalizes "balcony solar" or plug-in solar panels — small portable solar devices you can set up without a full rooftop installation. Another allows remote inspections for certain home energy projects on one- or two-family homes, including heat pump water heaters (which move heat instead of burning fuel to warm water), small solar systems, and home battery storage. Both passed and are awaiting the governor's signature.

Lawmakers also revised the state's community solar program, aiming to open it up to more low-income households, and set up a program that would pay some homeowners a cash incentive if their gas utility replaces the pipe running gas to their house — the idea being the payout would cost less than the pipe replacement itself, which should help hold down bills for gas customers generally.

Separately, and more consequentially for utility bills statewide, lawmakers declined to shield PG&E and Southern California Edison from wildfire liability costs, rejecting a change the governor had pushed for. That sent both utilities' stock prices tumbling and drew warnings from the companies that the cost of attracting investment in the grid could rise, which they say could eventually pressure electricity rates. A related special session was expected to let insurers pursue utilities for wildfire losses. None of this changes anything at your house right now, but it's part of why California electricity bills remain a subject to watch.