California Code, Public Utilities Code - PUC § 6350

There is hereby created a surcharge to be applied to natural gas and electricity transported over utility and nonutility transmission or distribution systems, or both, constructed under, along, across, or upon the public streets, ways, alleys, and places within a municipality, to replace, but not increase, franchise fees that would have been collected pursuant to this division if not for changes in the regulatory environment such as the “unbundling” of the gas industry.