EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb1217*
HOUSE BILL 1217
C5, M5 5lr3041
CF SB 950
By: Delegates Buckel, Griffith, Hornberger, Mangione, Miller, Pippy, Reilly, and
Tomlinson
Introduced and read first time: February 7, 2025
Assigned to: Economic Matters
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Natural Gas Generating Facilities – Authorization 2
FOR the purpose of authorizing the construction, permitting, and operation of natural gas 3
generating facilities in the State until the State meets a certain percentage of its 4
energy needs from renewable energy resources; requiring the Maryland Energy 5
Administration to work with the owners and operators of natural gas generating 6
facilities in the State to decrease the production of energy from natural gas after the 7
State meets a certain percentage of its energy needs from renewable energy 8
resources; and generally relating to natural gas generating facilities. 9
BY adding to 10
Article – Public Utilities 11
Section 7–218 12
Annotated Code of Maryland 13
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 14
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 15
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 16
Article – Public Utilities 17
7–218. 18
(A) NOTWITHSTANDING AN Y OTHER PROVISION OF LAW, AND SUBJECT TO 19
SUBSECTIONS (B) AND (C) OF THIS SECTION, NATURAL GAS GENERATI NG FACILITIES 20
MAY BE CONSTRUCTED , PERMITTED, AND OPERATED IN THE STATE UNTIL THE 21
STATE MEETS 50% OF ITS ENERGY NEEDS FROM RENEWABLE ENERG Y RESOURCES, 22
INCLUDING NUCLEAR ENERGY . 23
2 HOUSE BILL 1217
(B) A PERSON CONSTRUCTING A NATURAL GAS GENERA TING FACILITY 1
UNDER THIS SECTION M UST OBTAIN: 2
(1) A CERTIFICATE OF PUB LIC CONVENIENCE AND NECESSITY UNDER 3
§ 7–207 OF THIS SUBTITLE ; OR 4
(2) COMMISSION APPROVAL U NDER § 7–207.1 OF THIS SUBTITLE. 5
(C) ONCE THE STATE MEETS 50% OF ITS ENERGY NEEDS FROM RENEWABLE 6
ENERGY RESOURCES , INCLUDING NUCLEAR EN ERGY, THE MARYLAND ENERGY 7
ADMINISTRATION SHALL WORK WITH THE OWNERS AND OPERATORS OF NAT URAL 8
GAS GENERATING FACIL ITIES IN THE STATE TO DECR EASE THE PRODUCTION OF 9
ENERGY FROM NATURAL GAS GENERATING FACIL ITIES AT THE SAME RA TE AS 10
ENERGY PRODUCED FROM RENEWABLE ENERGY RES OURCES, INCLUDING NUCLEAR 11
ENERGY, IS INCREASED. 12
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 13
October 1, 2025. 14