LCO 1165 \\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2022HB-05118-R01- HB.docx 1 of 13 General Assembly Raised Bill No. 5118 February Session, 2022 LCO No. 1165 Referred to Committee on ENERGY AND TECHNOLOGY Introduced by: (ET) AN ACT CONCERNING WASTE MANAGEMENT AND ANAEROBIC DIGESTION. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened: Section 1. Subsection (a) of section 16-245a of the general statutes is 1 repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 2 1, 2022): 3 (a) Subject to any modifications required by the Public Utilities 4 Regulatory Authority for retiring renewable energy certificates on 5 behalf of all electric ratepayers pursuant to subsection (h) of this section 6 and sections 16a-3f, 16a-3g, 16a-3h, 16a-3i, 16a-3j, 16a-3m and 16a-3n, an 7 electric supplier and an electric distribution company providing 8 standard service or supplier of last resort service, pursuant to section 16-9 244c, shall demonstrate: 10 (1) On and after January 1, 2006, that not less than two per cent of the 11 total output or services of any such supplier or distribution company 12 shall be generated from Class I renewable energy sources and an 13 additional three per cent of the total output or services shall be from 14 Raised Bill No. 5118 LCO 1165 {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2022HB-05118- R01-HB.docx } 2 of 13 Class I or Class II renewable energy sources; 15 (2) On and after January 1, 2007, not less than three and one-half per 16 cent of the total output or services of any such supplier or distribution 17 company shall be generated from Class I renewable energy sources and 18 an additional three per cent of the total output or services shall be from 19 Class I or Class II renewable energy sources; 20 (3) On and after January 1, 2008, not less than five per cent of the total 21 output or services of any such supplier or distribution company shall be 22 generated from Class I renewable energy sources and an additional 23 three per cent of the total output or services shall be from Class I or Class 24 II renewable energy sources; 25 (4) On and after January 1, 2009, not less than six per cent of the total 26 output or services of any such supplier or distribution company shall be 27 generated from Class I renewable energy sources and an additional 28 three per cent of the total output or services shall be from Class I or Class 29 II renewable energy sources; 30 (5) On and after January 1, 2010, not less than seven per cent of the 31 total output or services of any such supplier or distribution company 32 shall be generated from Class I renewable energy sources and an 33 additional three per cent of the total output or services shall be from 34 Class I or Class II renewable energy sources; 35 (6) On and after January 1, 2011, not less than eight per cent of the 36 total output or services of any such supplier or distribution company 37 shall be generated from Class I renewable energy sources and an 38 additional three per cent of the total output or services shall be from 39 Class I or Class II renewable energy sources; 40 (7) On and after January 1, 2012, not less than nine per cent of the total 41 output or services of any such supplier or distribution company shall be 42 generated from Class I renewable energy sources and an additional 43 three per cent of the total output or services shall be from Class I or Class 44 II renewable energy sources; 45 Raised Bill No. 5118 LCO 1165 {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2022HB-05118- R01-HB.docx } 3 of 13 (8) On and after January 1, 2013, not less than ten per cent of the total 46 output or services of any such supplier or distribution company shall be 47 generated from Class I renewable energy sources and an additional 48 three per cent of the total output or services shall be from Class I or Class 49 II renewable energy sources; 50 (9) On and after January 1, 2014, not less than eleven per cent of the 51 total output or services of any such supplier or distribution company 52 shall be generated from Class I renewable energy sources and an 53 additional three per cent of the total output or services shall be from 54 Class I or Class II renewable energy sources; 55 (10) On and after January 1, 2015, not less than twelve and one-half 56 per cent of the total output or services of any such supplier or 57 distribution company shall be generated from Class I renewable energy 58 sources and an additional three per cent of the total output or services 59 shall be from Class I or Class II renewable energy sources; 60 (11) On and after January 1, 2016, not less than fourteen per cent of 61 the total output or services of any such supplier or distribution company 62 shall be generated from Class I renewable energy sources and an 63 additional three per cent of the total output or services shall be from 64 Class I or Class II renewable energy sources; 65 (12) On and after January 1, 2017, not less than fifteen and one-half 66 per cent of the total output or services of any such supplier or 67 distribution company shall be generated from Class I renewable energy 68 sources and an additional three per cent of the total output or services 69 shall be from Class I or Class II renewable energy sources; 70 (13) On and after January 1, 2018, not less than seventeen per cent of 71 the total output or services of any such supplier or distribution company 72 shall be generated from Class I renewable energy sources and an 73 additional four per cent of the total output or services shall be from Class 74 I or Class II renewable energy sources; 75 (14) On and after January 1, 2019, not less than nineteen and one-half 76 Raised Bill No. 5118 LCO 1165 {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2022HB-05118- R01-HB.docx } 4 of 13 per cent of the total output or services of any such supplier or 77 distribution company shall be generated from Class I renewable energy 78 sources and an additional four per cent of the total output or services 79 shall be from Class I or Class II renewable energy sources; 80 (15) On and after January 1, 2020, not less than twenty-one per cent 81 of the total output or services of any such supplier or distribution 82 company shall be generated from Class I renewable energy sources and 83 an additional four per cent of the total output or services shall be from 84 Class I or Class II renewable energy sources, except that for any electric 85 supplier that has entered into or renewed a retail electric supply contract 86 on or before May 24, 2018, on and after January 1, 2020, not less than 87 twenty per cent of the total output or services of any such electric 88 supplier shall be generated from Class I renewable energy sources; 89 (16) On and after January 1, 2021, not less than twenty-two and one-90 half per cent of the total output or services of any such supplier or 91 distribution company shall be generated from Class I renewable energy 92 sources and an additional four per cent of the total output or services 93 shall be from Class I or Class II renewable energy sources; 94 (17) On and after January 1, 2022, not less than twenty-four per cent 95 of the total output or services of any such supplier or distribution 96 company shall be generated from Class I renewable energy sources and 97 an additional four per cent of the total output or services shall be from 98 Class I or Class II renewable energy sources; 99 (18) On and after January 1, 2023, not less than twenty-six per cent of 100 the total output or services of any such supplier or distribution company 101 shall be generated from Class I renewable energy sources and an 102 additional four per cent of the total output or services shall be from 103 [Class I or] Class II renewable energy sources; 104 (19) On and after January 1, 2024, not less than twenty-eight per cent 105 of the total output or services of any such supplier or distribution 106 company shall be generated from Class I renewable energy sources and 107 Raised Bill No. 5118 LCO 1165 {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2022HB-05118- R01-HB.docx } 5 of 13 an additional four per cent of the total output or services shall be from 108 [Class I or] Class II renewable energy sources; 109 (20) On and after January 1, 2025, not less than thirty per cent of the 110 total output or services of any such supplier or distribution company 111 shall be generated from Class I renewable energy sources and an 112 additional four per cent of the total output or services shall be from 113 [Class I or] Class II renewable energy sources; 114 (21) On and after January 1, 2026, not less than thirty-two per cent of 115 the total output or services of any such supplier or distribution company 116 shall be generated from Class I renewable energy sources and an 117 additional four per cent of the total output or services shall be from 118 [Class I or] Class II renewable energy sources; 119 (22) On and after January 1, 2027, not less than thirty-four per cent of 120 the total output or services of any such supplier or distribution company 121 shall be generated from Class I renewable energy sources and an 122 additional four per cent of the total output or services shall be from 123 [Class I or] Class II renewable energy sources; 124 (23) On and after January 1, 2028, not less than thirty-six per cent of 125 the total output or services of any such supplier or distribution company 126 shall be generated from Class I renewable energy sources and an 127 additional four per cent of the total output or services shall be from 128 [Class I or] Class II renewable energy sources; 129 (24) On and after January 1, 2029, not less than thirty-eight per cent 130 of the total output or services of any such supplier or distribution 131 company shall be generated from Class I renewable energy sources and 132 an additional four per cent of the total output or services shall be from 133 [Class I or] Class II renewable energy sources; 134 (25) On and after January 1, 2030, not less than forty per cent of the 135 total output or services of any such supplier or distribution company 136 shall be generated from Class I renewable energy sources and an 137 additional four per cent of the total output or services shall be from 138 Raised Bill No. 5118 LCO 1165 {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2022HB-05118- R01-HB.docx } 6 of 13 [Class I or] Class II renewable energy sources. 139 Sec. 2. Subdivision (1) of subsection (h) of section 16-244c of the 140 general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 141 thereof (Effective October 1, 2022): 142 (h) (1) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (b) of this 143 section regarding an alternative standard service option, an electric 144 distribution company providing standard service, supplier of last resort 145 service or back-up electric generation service in accordance with this 146 section shall contract with its wholesale suppliers to comply with the 147 renewable portfolio standards. The Public Utilities Regulatory 148 Authority shall annually conduct an uncontested proceeding in order to 149 determine whether the electric distribution company's wholesale 150 suppliers met the renewable portfolio standards during the preceding 151 year. On or before December 31, 2013, the authority shall issue a decision 152 on any such proceeding for calendar years up to and including 2012, for 153 which a decision has not already been issued. Not later than December 154 31, 2014, and annually thereafter, the authority shall, following such 155 proceeding, issue a decision as to whether the electric distribution 156 company's wholesale suppliers met the renewable portfolio standards 157 during the preceding year. An electric distribution company shall 158 include a provision in its contract with each wholesale supplier that 159 requires the wholesale supplier to pay the electric distribution company 160 an amount of: (A) For calendar years up to and including calendar year 161 2017, five and one-half cents per kilowatt hour if the wholesale supplier 162 fails to comply with the renewable portfolio standards during the 163 subject annual period, (B) for calendar years commencing on January 1, 164 2018, up to and including the calendar year commencing on January 1, 165 2020, five and one-half cents per kilowatt hour if the wholesale supplier 166 fails to comply with the renewable portfolio standards during the 167 subject annual period for Class I renewable energy sources, and two and 168 one-half cents per kilowatt hour if the wholesale supplier fails to comply 169 with the renewable portfolio standards during the subject annual period 170 for Class II renewable energy sources, and (C) for calendar years 171 Raised Bill No. 5118 LCO 1165 {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2022HB-05118- R01-HB.docx } 7 of 13 commencing on and after January 1, 2021, four cents per kilowatt hour 172 if the wholesale supplier fails to comply with the renewable portfolio 173 standards during the subject annual period for Class I renewable energy 174 sources, and two and one-half cents per kilowatt hour if the wholesale 175 supplier fails to comply with the renewable portfolio standards during 176 the subject annual period for Class II renewable energy sources. The 177 electric distribution company shall promptly transfer any payment 178 received from the wholesale supplier for the failure to meet the 179 renewable portfolio standards to the Clean Energy Fund for the 180 development of Class I renewable energy sources, provided, on and 181 after June 5, 2013, any such payment shall be refunded to ratepayers by 182 using such payment to offset the costs to all customers of electric 183 distribution companies of the costs of contracts and tariffs entered into 184 pursuant to sections 16-244r, 16-244t and 16-244z, except that, on or after 185 January 1, 2023, any such payment that is attributable to a failure to 186 comply with the Class II renewable portfolio standards shall be 187 deposited in the sustainable materials management account established 188 pursuant to section 5 of this act. Any excess amount remaining from 189 such payment shall be applied to reduce the costs of contracts entered 190 into pursuant to subdivision (2) of this subsection, and if any excess 191 amount remains, such amount shall be applied to reduce costs collected 192 through nonbypassable, federally mandated congestion charges, as 193 defined in section 16-1. 194 Sec. 3. Subsection (k) of section 16-245 of the 2022 supplement to the 195 general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 196 thereof (Effective October 1, 2022): 197 (k) Any licensee who fails to comply with a license condition or who 198 violates any provision of this section, except for the renewable portfolio 199 standards contained in subsection (g) of this section, shall be subject to 200 civil penalties by the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority in accordance 201 with section 16-41, including direction that a portion of the civil penalty 202 be paid to a nonprofit agency engaged in energy assistance programs 203 named by the authority in its decision or notice of violation, the 204 Raised Bill No. 5118 LCO 1165 {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2022HB-05118- R01-HB.docx } 8 of 13 suspension or revocation of such license and a prohibition on accepting 205 new customers following a hearing that is conducted as a contested case 206 in accordance with chapter 54. Notwithstanding the provisions of 207 subsection (b) of section 16-244c regarding an alternative transitional 208 standard offer option or an alternative standard service option, the 209 authority shall require a payment by a licensee that fails to comply with 210 the renewable portfolio standards in accordance with subdivision (4) of 211 subsection (g) of this section in the amount of: (1) For calendar years up 212 to and including calendar year 2017, five and one-half cents per kilowatt 213 hour, (2) for calendar years commencing on January 1, 2018, and up to 214 and including the calendar year commencing on January 1, 2020, five 215 and one-half cents per kilowatt hour if the licensee fails to comply with 216 the renewable portfolio standards during the subject annual period for 217 Class I renewable energy sources, and two and one-half cents per 218 kilowatt hour if the licensee fails to comply with the renewable portfolio 219 standards during the subject annual period for Class II renewable 220 energy sources, and (3) for calendar years commencing on and after 221 January 1, 2021, four cents per kilowatt hour if the licensee fails to 222 comply with the renewable portfolio standards during the subject 223 annual period for Class I renewable energy sources, and two and one-224 half cents per kilowatt hour if the licensee fails to comply with the 225 renewable portfolio standards during the subject annual period for 226 Class II renewable energy sources. On or before December 31, 2013, the 227 authority shall issue a decision, following an uncontested proceeding, 228 on whether any licensee has failed to comply with the renewable 229 portfolio standards for calendar years up to and including 2012, for 230 which a decision has not already been issued. On and after June 5, 2013, 231 the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority shall annually conduct an 232 uncontested proceeding in order to determine whether any licensee has 233 failed to comply with the renewable portfolio standards during the 234 preceding year. Not later than December 31, 2014, and annually 235 thereafter, the authority shall, following such proceeding, issue a 236 decision as to whether the licensee has failed to comply with the 237 renewable portfolio standards during the preceding year. The authority 238 shall allocate such payment to the Clean Energy Fund for the 239 Raised Bill No. 5118 LCO 1165 {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2022HB-05118- R01-HB.docx } 9 of 13 development of Class I renewable energy sources, provided, on and 240 after June 5, 2013, any such payment shall be refunded to ratepayers by 241 using such payment to offset the costs to all customers of electric 242 distribution companies of the costs of contracts and tariffs entered into 243 pursuant to sections 16-244r, 16-244t and section 16-244z, except that, on 244 and after January 1, 2023, any such payment that is attributable to a 245 failure to comply with the Class II renewable portfolio standards shall 246 be deposited in the sustainable materials management account 247 established pursuant to section 5 of this act. Any excess amount 248 remaining from such payment shall be applied to reduce the costs of 249 contracts entered into pursuant to subdivision (2) of subsection (j) of 250 section 16-244c, and if any excess amount remains, such amount shall be 251 applied to reduce costs collected through nonbypassable, federally 252 mandated congestion charges, as defined in section 16-1. 253 Sec. 4. Subsection (a) of section 16a-3i of the general statutes is 254 repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 255 1, 2022): 256 (a) During the calendar year commencing January 1, 2014, and 257 continuing each calendar year thereafter, if alternative compliance 258 payments pursuant to subsection [(j)] (h) of section 16-244c or subsection 259 (k) of section 16-245 are made for failure to meet the renewable portfolio 260 standards, there shall be a presumption for the calendar year the 261 alternative compliance payments are made that there is an insufficient 262 supply of Class I renewable energy sources, as defined in section 16-1, 263 for electric suppliers or electric distribution companies to comply with 264 the requirements of section 16-245a. 265 Sec. 5. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2022) (a) There is established an 266 account to be known as the sustainable materials management account 267 which shall be a separate, nonlapsing account within the General Fund. The 268 account shall contain moneys collected by the alternative compliance payment 269 for Class II renewable portfolio standards pursuant to subsection (h) of section 270 16-244c of the general statutes, as amended by this act, and subsection (k) of 271 section 16-245 of the general statutes, as amended by this act. The 272 Raised Bill No. 5118 LCO 1165 {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2022HB-05118- R01-HB.docx } 10 of 13 Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection shall expend moneys 273 from the account for the purposes of the program established under this 274 section. 275 (b) On and after January 1, 2023, the Commissioner of Energy and 276 Environmental Protection shall establish and administer a sustainable 277 materials management program to support solid waste reduction in the state 278 through the provision of funding from the sustainable materials management 279 account for purposes, including, but not limited to, grants, revolving loans, 280 technical assistance, consulting services and waste characterization studies, to 281 support programs and projects implemented by entities, including, but not 282 limited to, municipalities, nonprofits and regional waste authorities. Such 283 programs and projects shall promote affordable, sustainable and self-sufficient 284 management of waste within the state by reducing solid waste generation or 285 diverting solid waste from disposal, consistent with the state-wide solid waste 286 management plan established pursuant to section 22a-228 of the general 287 statutes. 288 (c) Not later than January 1, 2024, and annually thereafter, the Department 289 of Energy and Environmental Protection shall submit a report, in accordance 290 with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes, to the joint standing 291 committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to 292 the environment and energy and technology detailing the expenditures of any 293 funds disbursed from the sustainable materials management account 294 established in subsection (a) of this section and the outcomes associated with 295 such expenditures. 296 Sec. 6. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2022) (a) The Commissioner of Energy and 297 Environmental Protection, in consultation with the Office of Consumer 298 Counsel and the Attorney General, may solicit proposals for the supply of 299 biogas for injection into the natural gas distribution systems in the state, in one 300 solicitation or multiple solicitations, from anaerobic digestion facilities that 301 have obtained a permit pursuant to section 22a-208a of the general statutes and 302 produce biogas derived from the decomposition of farm-generated organic 303 waste or source-separated organic material. The commissioner may select 304 proposals from such anaerobic digestion facilities that produce biogas from 305 not more than three hundred thousand tons of organic waste annually. 306 (b) In making any selection of such proposals, the commissioner shall 307 Raised Bill No. 5118 LCO 1165 {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2022HB-05118- R01-HB.docx } 11 of 13 consider factors, including, but not limited to, (1) whether the proposal is in 308 the best interest of natural gas ratepayers, (2) whether the proposal promotes 309 the policy goals outlined in the state-wide solid waste management plan 310 developed pursuant to section 22a-241a of the general statutes, (3) any positive 311 impacts on the state's economic development, including any positive impacts 312 on the state's agricultural industry, (4) whether the proposal is consistent with 313 the requirements to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in accordance with 314 section 22a-200a of the general statutes, (5) the characteristics of a relevant 315 facility that produces renewable natural gas, including, but not limited to, 316 whether the proposed gas conditioning system or systems and the biogas 317 complies with the interconnection standards developed in accordance with 318 section 18 of public act 19-35, and (6) whether the proposal promotes natural 319 gas distribution system benefits. 320 (c) The commissioner may direct the gas companies, as defined in section 321 16-1 of the general statutes, to enter into gas purchase agreements with biogas 322 suppliers selected pursuant to this section for biogas and associated attributes 323 for periods of not more than twenty years on behalf of all customers of gas 324 companies in the state. 325 (d) Any gas purchase agreement entered into pursuant to this section shall 326 be subject to review and approval by the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority, 327 which review shall be completed not later than one hundred twenty days after 328 the date on which such agreement is filed with the authority. The authority 329 shall review and approve such agreements if they meet the criteria in the 330 request for proposals issued pursuant to subsection (a) of this section and are 331 in the best interest of ratepayers. 332 (e) (1) The reasonable costs incurred by the gas companies in negotiating 333 and executing such gas purchase agreements and the net costs for the supply 334 of biogas under any such gas purchase agreement shall be recovered from all 335 customers of such company through the purchased gas adjustment clause in 336 section 16-19b of the general statutes. Any net revenues from the sale of 337 products purchased in accordance with any such agreements entered into 338 pursuant to this section shall be credited to customers through the same fully 339 reconciling rate component for all customers of the contracting gas company. 340 Any such net costs or net revenues, as applicable, of any such agreements shall 341 be apportioned in proportion to the revenues of each contracting gas company 342 as reported to the authority pursuant to section 16-49 of the general statutes 343 Raised Bill No. 5118 LCO 1165 {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2022HB-05118- R01-HB.docx } 12 of 13 for the most recent fiscal year. 344 (2) A gas company shall recover the costs incurred by such gas company 345 related to constructing, operating and maintaining infrastructure arising from 346 such gas purchase agreement from the biogas supplier through a contribution 347 in aid of construction or other provision of the gas purchase agreement. Any 348 incurred costs not to be recovered from the biogas supplier shall be identified 349 and approved by the authority at the time the authority approves any gas 350 purchase agreement. Such prudently incurred costs shall be recovered in any 351 existing rate tracking mechanism for the recovery of natural gas infrastructure 352 investments, or if no mechanism currently exists, a newly established rate 353 tracking mechanism established by the authority. 354 (f) A gas company can elect to either (1) use any renewable natural gas 355 procured pursuant to this section to meet the needs of its customers, or (2) sell 356 any such renewable natural gas into applicable markets or through bilateral 357 contracts with third parties with the net benefits or costs thereof reflected in 358 the purchased gas adjustment clause in section 16-19b of the general statutes. 359 (g) The commissioner may retain consultants to assist in implementing the 360 provisions of this section, including, but not limited to, the evaluation of 361 proposals submitted pursuant to this section. All reasonable costs associated 362 with the commissioner's solicitation and review of proposals pursuant to this 363 section shall be recoverable through the same fully reconciling rate component 364 for all customers of the gas companies. Such costs shall be recoverable even if 365 the commissioner does not select any proposals pursuant to any solicitation 366 issued pursuant to this section. 367 (h) (1) Any dispute arising from a contract that is approved by the authority 368 pursuant to this section shall be brought to the authority. A party may petition 369 the authority for a declaratory ruling or make an application for review 370 pursuant to this subsection. Notwithstanding subsection (a) of section 4-176 of 371 the general statutes, the authority may not on its own motion initiate a 372 proceeding to review a contract entered into pursuant to this subsection. 373 (2) The authority shall review such contract claims brought pursuant to 374 subdivision (1) of this subsection. The authority shall decide such contract 375 claims by issuing a declaratory ruling or a final decision in a contested case 376 proceeding, including ordering legal and equitable contract remedies. Any 377 Raised Bill No. 5118 LCO 1165 {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2022HB-05118- R01-HB.docx } 13 of 13 party to the contract shall have the right to appeal to the superior court from 378 any such declaratory ruling or final decision adjudicating such contract claims 379 pursuant to this subsection. 380 This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections: Section 1 October 1, 2022 16-245a(a) Sec. 2 October 1, 2022 16-244c(h)(1) Sec. 3 October 1, 2022 16-245(k) Sec. 4 October 1, 2022 16a-3i(a) Sec. 5 October 1, 2022 New section Sec. 6 October 1, 2022 New section ET Joint Favorable