Maryland 2025 Regular Session

Maryland Senate Bill SB483 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1
2	2
3	3	EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
4	4	[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
5	5	sb0483
6	6
7	7	SENATE BILL 483
8	8	C5 5lr3398
9	9	CF 5lr1844
10	10	By: Senators Gallion, Watson, Brooks, West, Carozza, Hershey, Salling, Bailey,
11	11	Corderman, Ready, and Mautz
12	12	Introduced and read first time: January 22, 2025
13	13	Assigned to: Education, Energy, and the Environment
14	14
15	15	A BILL ENTITLED
16	16
17	17	AN ACT concerning 1
18	18
19	19	Public Utilities – Alternatives to Construction of New Transmission Lines 2
20	20
21	21	FOR the purpose of expanding the circumstances under which the Public Service 3
22	22	Commission is required to examine alternatives to the construction of a new 4
23	23	transmission line; and generally relating to the construction of new transmission 5
24	24	lines. 6
25	25
26	26	BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 7
27	27	Article – Public Utilities 8
28	28	Section 7–209 9
29	29	Annotated Code of Maryland 10
30	30	(2020 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 11
31	31
32	32	SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 12
33	33	That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 13
34	34
35	35	Article – Public Utilities 14
36	36
37	37	7–209. 15
38	38
39	39	(a) (1) The Commission shall examine alternatives to the construction of a new 16
40	40	transmission line in a service area[, including the use of an existing transmission line of 17
41	41	another company,] if THE USE OF AN ALT ERNATIVE: 18
42	42
43	43	[(1)] (I) [the existing transmission line] is convenient to the service area; 19
44	44	[or] 20
45	45
46	46	[(2)] (II) [the use of the transmission line] will best promote economic and 21
47	47	efficient service to the public; 22 2 SENATE BILL 483
48	48
49	49
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51	51	(III) WILL BEST MAINTAIN H ISTORICAL, ENVIRONMENTAL , OR 1
52	52	AGRICULTURAL PRESERV ATION AREAS; OR 2
53	53
54	54	(IV) WILL AVOID ANY OVERL AP WITH A LOT, PARCEL, OR TRACT 3
55	55	OF LAND THAT IS: 4
56	56
57	57	1. LOCATED WITHIN A PLA NNED GROWTH AREA 5
58	58	IDENTIFIED IN THE LO CAL JURISDICTION ’S COMPREHENSIVE PLAN ; OR 6
59	59
60	60	2. ZONED FOR RESIDENTIAL USE OR M IXED USE WITH A 7
61	61	RESIDENTIAL COMPONEN T. 8
62	62
63	63	(2) ALTERNATIVES TO THE C ONSTRUCTION OF A NEW TRANSMISSION 9
64	64	LINE INCLUDE: 10
65	65
66	66	(I) THE USE OF AN EXISTI NG TRANSMISSION LINE OF ANOTHER 11
67	67	COMPANY; 12
68	68
69	69	(II) THE USE OF AN EXISTI NG RIGHT–OF–WAY; 13
70	70
71	71	(III) RECONDUCTORING AN EX ISTING TRANSMISSION LINE; AND 14
72	72
73	73	(IV) UNDERGROUNDING A TRA NSMISSION LINE. 15
74	74
75	75	(b) In considering the use of an [existing transmission line] ALTERNATIVE under 16
76	76	subsection (a) of this section, the Commission need not consider whether the company that 17
77	77	owns the line has a franchise in a service area. 18
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79	79	SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 19
80	80	October 1, 2025. 20
81	81