| 48 | | - | SECTION 1. (a) The public utilities commission shall contract with a qualified consultant to conduct a study on the accessibility of Hawaii's electric system and procedures for interconnection to Hawaii's electric system, including but not limited to the timeliness and costs of interconnection. (b) The study shall apply to interconnection for renewable energy projects greater than five megawatts and any community-based renewable energy generation projects of any megawatt size from investor-owned utilities and utilities that serve counties with a population of more than one hundred thousand. (c) The study shall: (1) Include, but not be limited to, reliability standards to be established by the public utilities commission; (2) Identify interconnection requirements and procedures for interconnection to the State's electric utility grid; (3) Describe the interconnection process and who is responsible for each element of the process; (4) Determine the reasonableness of time for each element of the interconnection process; (5) Determine the reasonableness of the elements and methodology that utilities utilize to charge for interconnection; (6) Determine the reasonableness and equity of costs charged to those that interconnect to an electric utility; (7) Include costs of interconnection by an electric utility for the interconnection of the electric utility's self-build projects; (8) Include reporting and analysis over the previous seven years of the: (A) Timeliness of the interconnection process from the execution of the power purchase agreement through the interconnection completion, if applicable, or up through the time that the last step is completed; and (B) Cost of interconnection of renewable energy projects, including: (i) The charges to those who interconnected or are in the process of interconnecting to an electric utility; (ii) Any project management fees; and (iii) Any other elements that are relevant in the methodology, including but not limited to the size of the project, the distance to the interconnection point; (9) Include documentation of the delays in the interconnection process for stage 1 and stage 2 renewable procurement projects, including the cause of each delay as well as the party responsible for the delay; (10) Determine whether any elements of interconnection are currently rate-based; (11) Determine the reasonableness of the cost of project management fees assessed by an electric utility to those entities that interconnect to the electric utility; (12) Determine the reasonableness of requiring new or additional interconnection studies for changes in equipment; (13) Determine what would constitute a reasonable change to cause a new or extended interconnection process; (14) Incorporate comments from entities who connect to an electric utility in a confidential manner and be reported anonymously in the study; (15) Report on the implementation of a Hawaii electric reliability administrator to be implemented by the public utilities commission; (16) Evaluate the public utilities commission's progress in the implementation of a Hawaii electric reliability administrator; and (17) Recommend statutory amendments to the laws relating to the Hawaii electric reliability administrator. (d) The study shall include recommendations on: (1) Reliability standards that should be considered and imposed by the public utilities commission on an electric utility; (2) Interconnection procedures; (3) Reasonable timelines for an electric utility and an entity that interconnects; (4) How the public utilities commission can monitor the interconnection process; (5) Processes, data tools, and reporting requirements by the electric utility; (6) How interconnection costs can be provided to developers prior to the utility procurement process or how to adjust for changes to the power purchase agreement to reflect interconnection costs; (7) Mechanisms to be imposed by the public utilities commission and the legislature to improve the timeliness of the interconnection process and the reasonableness of cost; (8) A process to provide transparency in interconnection costs; (9) Processes for the public utility commission to oversee and approve the cost and timeliness of interconnection; (10) Whether interconnection costs should be regulated, tariffed, or rate-based for consistency and transparency; (11) Whether performance incentives, penalties, or both, should be imposed on an electric utility for timely and cost-effective interconnection; (12) The reasonable interconnection events that would require modification to this study; (13) The reasonable timelines for modification caused by an electric utility or an entity that interconnects to the State's electric utility grid; (14) Resolution processes for interconnection disputes; and (15) Processes, including administrative, technological, policy, or other related requirements for ensuring effective reliability of the Hawaii electric system and interconnection process. (e) The public utilities commission shall submit the study required by this Act and a report, including its progress in contracting an entity to serve as the Hawaii electric reliability administrator pursuant to section 269-147, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2023. SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $100,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2022-2023 for the public utilities commission to contract with a qualified consultant to conduct a study on the accessibility of and procedures for interconnection to Hawaii's electric system. The sum appropriated shall be expended by the public utilities commission for the purposes of this Act. SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2022. |
|---|
| 47 | + | SECTION 1. The legislature finds that accelerating the development of renewable energy to reduce greenhouse gases is a high priority. The legislature has enacted numerous Acts to achieve this objective, including: (1) Act 97, Session Laws of Hawaii 2015, which established a renewable energy portfolio standards target of one hundred per cent renewable electric energy by 2045; (2) Act 15, Session Laws of Hawaii 2018, which established a statewide zero emissions clean economy target to sequester throughout the State more atmospheric carbon and greenhouse gases than emitted, as quickly as practicable but no later than 2045; and (3) Act 23, Session Laws of Hawaii 2020, which prohibits the further use of coal in Hawaii for electricity production. The legislature believes that the timely completion of renewable energy projects is also a high priority. The legislature recognizes that in November 2020, the public utilities commission issued a letter to the parties in docket numbers 2015-0389, 2017-0352, and 2018-0165, stating that it "is markedly concerned that Hawaiian Electric [Company]'s interconnection processes and policies are increasing development costs and extending renewable project timelines". In addition, in docket number 2018-0088 (Performance Based Regulation), the public utilities commission issued order number 37507 on December 23, 2020, indicating that the commission was concerned about interconnection delays and will implement a performance incentive mechanism to encourage Hawaiian Electric Company to accelerate the interconnection process. Order number 37507 also stated that "the scheduled retirement of the AES Power Plant in 2022, as well as [Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc.; Hawaii Electric Light Company, Inc.; and Maui Electric Company, Limited's] proposal to delay interconnecting several renewable energy and storage projects recently approved by the commission, underscores the need for expeditiously securing alternative sources of grid services to ensure that system needs are met". The legislature notes that during procurement phase 1, all eight projects had delayed commercial operations dates relative to the commercial operations dates provided in each project's power purchase agreement. During procurement phase 2, eight of the eleven projects had delayed commercial operations dates relative to the commercial operations dates provided in each project's power purchase agreement. The public utilities commission has opened a docket, docket number 2021-0024, to review Hawaiian Electric Company's interconnection process and transition plans for retirement of fossil fuel plants. The legislature further notes that Hawaiian Electric Company's significant delays in completing its interconnection process makes it difficult to plan for the design and construction of utility-scale renewable energy projects that require interconnection with Hawaiian Electric Company's electric grid. The legislature further finds that facilitating the timely interconnection of utility-scale renewable energy projects will: (1) Help to bring utility-scale renewable energy projects online sooner; (2) Decrease electricity rates for consumers by providing project developers with added certainty regarding project timelines to lower bid pricing; (3) Help to achieve the State's renewable portfolio standard goals in a timely manner; and (4) Help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate the effects of climate change sooner. Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to facilitate the timely interconnection of utility-scale renewable energy projects. SECTION 2. Section 269-142, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsections (a) and (b) to read as follows: "(a) The commission [may] shall adopt, by rule or order, reliability standards and interconnection requirements. Reliability standards and interconnection requirements adopted by the commission shall apply to any electric utility and any user, owner, or operator of the Hawaii electric system. The commission shall not contract for the performance of the functions under this subsection to any other entity as provided under section 269-147. (b) The commission [may] shall develop reliability standards and interconnection requirements as it determines necessary or upon recommendation from any entity, including an entity contracted by the commission to serve as the Hawaii electricity reliability administrator provided for under this part, for the continuing reliable design and operation of the Hawaii electric system. Any reliability standard or interconnection requirement developed by the commission shall be adopted by the commission in accordance with subsection (a) in order to be effective. The commission shall not contract for the performance of the functions under this subsection to any other entity as provided under section 269-147." SECTION 3. Section 269-145, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows: "[[]§269-145[]] Grid access; procedures for interconnection; dispute resolution. (a) Each user, owner, or operator of the Hawaii electric system, or any other person, business, or entity seeking to make an interconnection on the Hawaii electric system shall do so in accordance with procedures to be established by the commission by rule or order. (b) The commission shall establish interconnection procedures as follows: (1) The commission shall include in any interconnection procedures established pursuant to this section requirements that the electric public utilities: (A) Complete the interconnection design; (B) Reach agreement with the renewable energy project developer; (C) File a request with the commission for interconnection or line extension approval, if required; (D) Meet the requirements under subparagraphs (A) through (C) as soon as practicable; (E) Meet timelines and deadlines as determined by the commission; and (F) Submit interim reports to the commission on the status of the electric public utility's efforts to comply with the requirements of this subsection ninety days and one hundred eighty days after the renewable energy project power purchase agreement is filed with the commission for review and approval; (2) If the electric public utility is unable to comply with the requirements of this subsection, the electric public utility shall report, in writing, the reasons for noncompliance to the commission within ten calendar days after the failure to meet timelines and deadlines established by the commission; (3) If the electric public utility fails to meet the requirements established by the commission pursuant to this subsection, the electric public utility shall forfeit and return all moneys or other financial incentives that the electric public utility has received as part of any performance incentive mechanism program or similar incentive-based award recognized by the commission in connection with the renewable energy project; and (4) The commission shall submit a report to the governor and legislature regarding any failure to meet the timing under this subsection by any electric public utility within thirty days of the commission receiving notice of this failure; provided that this subsection shall only apply to utility-scale renewable energy projects that are five megawatts in total output capacity or larger, and to any community-based renewable energy project. [(b)] (c) The commission shall have the authority to make final determinations regarding any dispute between any user, owner, or operator of the Hawaii electric system, or any other person, business, or entity connecting to the Hawaii electric system, concerning either an existing interconnection on the Hawaii electric system or an interconnection to the Hawaii electric system created under the processes established by the commission under this section." SECTION 4. Section 269-146, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (a) to read as follows: "(a) The commission may require, by rule or order, that [all] any utilities, persons, businesses, or entities connecting to the Hawaii electric system, or any other user, owner, or operator of any electric element that is a part of an interconnection on the Hawaii electric system [shall] pay a surcharge that shall be collected by Hawaii's electric utilities. The commission shall not contract or otherwise delegate the ability to create the Hawaii electricity reliability surcharge under this section to any other entity. This surcharge amount shall be known as the Hawaii electricity reliability surcharge." SECTION 5. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored. SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2100. |
|---|