EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb1329*
HOUSE BILL 1329
C5, M5 5lr1823
CF SB 643
By: Delegates Reilly, Arentz, Arikan, Chisholm, Grammer, Hartman, Hutchinson,
Mangione, Miller, M. Morgan, T. Morgan, Nawrocki, Otto, Pippy, Rose,
Szeliga, and Wivell
Introduced and read first time: February 7, 2025
Assigned to: Economic Matters
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Public Utilities – Energy Generation and Transmission 2
FOR the purpose of stating the authority to construct, permit, and operate in the State an 3
energy generating system that produces energy from natural gas; authorizing 4
investor–owned electric companies and electricity suppliers in the State to construct, 5
acquire, or lease, and operate, their own generating facilities and construct, acquire, 6
or lease, and operate, certain transmission facilities; repealing the authority of the 7
Public Service Commission to allow an investor–owned electric company to 8
construct, acquire, or lease, and operate, its own generating facilities or construct, 9
acquire, or lease, and operate, certain transmission facilities under certain 10
circumstances; stating the General Assembly’s support for the development of 11
additional nuclear energy in the State; stating that the General Assembly 12
encourages PJM Interconnection, LLC to provide an expedited interconnection 13
process for new thermal generation resources in the State; and generally relating to 14
energy generation and transmission in the State. 15
BY adding to 16
Article – Public Utilities 17
Section 7–218 18
Annotated Code of Maryland 19
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 20
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 21
Article – Public Utilities 22
Section 7–510(c)(6) 23
Annotated Code of Maryland 24
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 25
2 HOUSE BILL 1329
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 1
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 2
Article – Public Utilities 3
7–218. 4
(A) NOTWITHSTANDING ANY O THER PROVISION OF LA W, AND SUBJECT TO 5
SUBSECTION (B) OF THIS SECTION, ENERGY GENERATING SY STEMS THAT PRODUCE 6
ENERGY FROM NATURAL GAS MAY BE CONSTRUCT ED, PERMITTED, AND OPERATED 7
IN THE STATE. 8
(B) A PERSON CONSTRUCTING AN ENERGY GENERA TING SYSTEM UNDER 9
THIS SECTION SHALL C OMPLY WITH THE PROVI SIONS OF THIS SUBTIT LE RELATING 10
TO REQUIREMENTS TO O BTAIN: 11
(1) A CERTIFICATE OF PUB LIC CONVENIENCE AND NECESSITY; OR 12
(2) COMMISSION APPROVAL F OR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE 13
GENERATING SYSTEM . 14
7–510. 15
(c) (6) (I) SUBJECT TO THE REQUIR EMENTS OF SUBTITLE 2 OF THIS 16
TITLE, AN INVESTOR–OWNED ELECTRIC COMPA NY OR ELECTRICITY SUPPL IER MAY: 17
1. CONSTRUCT , ACQUIRE, OR LEASE, AND OPERATE , ITS 18
OWN GENERATING FACIL ITIES; AND 19
2. CONSTRUCT , ACQUIRE, OR LEASE, AND OPERATE , ITS 20
OWN TRANSMISSION FACILITIES NECESSARY TO INTERCO NNECT THE GENERATING 21
FACILITIES WITH THE ELECTRIC SYSTEM . 22
(II) [In] IF THE COMMISSION DETERMINES THAT IT IS 23
NECESSARY IN order to meet long–term, anticipated demand in the State for standard 24
offer service and other electricity supply, the Commission may require [or allow], SUBJECT 25
TO APPROPRIATE COST RECOVERY, an investor–owned electric company to: 26
1. construct, acquire, or lease, and operate, its own 27
generating facilities[,]; and 28
2. CONSTRUCT , ACQUIRE, OR LEASE, AND OPERATE , ITS 29
OWN transmission facilities necessary to interconnect the generating facilities with the 30
electric [grid, subject to appropriate cost recovery] SYSTEM. 31 HOUSE BILL 1329 3
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That: 1
(1) the General Assembly supports the development of additional nuclear 2
energy in the State, including small modular reactors and the combination of nuclear 3
energy and energy produced from natural gas, for reliable clean energy in the State; and 4
(2) the General Assembly encourages PJM Interconnection, LLC to provide 5
an expedited interconnection process for new thermal generation resources in the State. 6
SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 7
October 1, 2025. 8