Provides that in the siting of new electric transmission facilities, including high-voltage transmission lines, the following corridors shall be utilized in the following order of priority in accordance with feasibility of economic and engineering considerations, reliability of the electric system and the protection of the environment: existing utility corridors; highway (interstate, freeway and state trunk) and railroad corridors; recreational trails, to the extent that the facilities may be constructed below ground and that the facilities do not significantly impact environmentally sensitive areas; and new corridors; provides that the commissioner of transportation shall engage in coordination activities with a utility or transmission line developer to review requested highway corridors for possible permitted locations of transmission lines.
Relates to qualified energy storage systems; authorizes energy storage permitting under the office of renewable energy siting and electric transmission.
Enacts the accelerate solar for affordable power (ASAP) act to set a new target for distributed solar energy capacity and direct the public service commission to advance reforms to the utility interconnection process to ensure timely and cost-effective integration of new distributed energy resources.
Authorizes and directs the department of public service to conduct a study on the deployment of energy interconnection processes into the electrical grid to meet the state's renewable energy goals; directs the department of public service to submit a report on its findings one year after the effective date.
Authorizes and directs the department of public service to conduct a study on the deployment of energy interconnection processes into the electrical grid to meet the state's renewable energy goals; directs the department of public service to submit a report on its findings one year after the effective date.
Establishes when making a decision regarding the siting of major utility transmission facilities in the case of a gas transmission line the public service commission must determine whether the alternative method of using commercial vehicles for the purpose of transporting liquified natural gas poses a hazard to public safety.