North Carolina 2025-2026 Regular Session

North Carolina House Bill H814 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1	1		GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
2	2		SESSION 2025
3		-	H 1
4		-	HOUSE BILL 814
	3	+	H D
	4	+	HOUSE BILL DRH30319-NJ-28
	5	+
5	6
6	7
7	8		Short Title: Power Infrastructure Resiliency & Eff.(PIRE). (Public)
8		-	Sponsors: Representatives K. Hall, Zenger, Gable, and T. Brown (Primary Sponsors).
9		-	For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site.
10		-	Referred to: Energy and Public Utilities, if favorable, Commerce and Economic Development,
11		-	if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
12		-	April 8, 2025
13		-	H814 -v-1
	9	+	Sponsors: Representative K. Hall.
	10	+	Referred to:
	11	+
	12	+	DRH30319 -NJ-28
14	13		A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
15	14		AN ACT PROMOTING THE USE OF ADVANCED CONDUCTORS AND GRID 2
16	15		ENHANCING TECHNOLOGIES . 3
17	16		The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 4
18	17		SECTION 1. G.S. 62-2 reads as rewritten: 5
19	18		"§ 62-2. Declaration of policy. 6
20	19		(a) Upon investigation, it has been determined that the rates, services and operations of 7
21	20		public utilities as defined herein, are affected with the public interest and that the availability of 8
22	21		an adequate and reliable supply of electric power and natural gas to the people, economy and 9
23	22		government of North Carolina is a matter of public policy. It is hereby declared to be the policy 10
24	23		of the State of North Carolina: 11
25	24		… 12
26	25		(11) To promote, to the maximum extent practicable, the deployment of advanced 13
27	26		conductors and grid enhancing technologies to transport the regulated public 14
28	27		utilities' electric energy supply in the most efficient means practicable. To that 15
29	28		end, to require transmission planning to be coordinated with energy planning 16
30	29		and the fixing of rates in a manner to result in the least cost mix of generation 17
31	30		and transmission capital expenditure that is achievable. 18
32	31		…." 19
33	32		SECTION 2. G.S. 62-100 reads as rewritten: 20
34	33		"Article 5A. 21
35	34		"Siting of Transmission Lines. 22
36	35		"§ 62-100. Definitions. 23
37	36		As used in this Article: 24
38	37		(1) The term "begin to construct" includes Advanced conductors. – Any 25
39	38		conductor that has a direct current electrical resistance at least ten percent 26
40	39		(10%) lower than aluminum conductor steel reinforced lines of a similar 27
41	40		diameter. 28
42	41		(1a) Begin to construct. – Includes any clearing of land, excavation, or other action 29
43	42		that would adversely affect the natural environment of the route of a 30
44	43		transmission line; but that term does not include land surveys, boring to 31
45	44		ascertain geological conditions, or similar preliminary work undertaken to 32
46	45		determine the suitability of proposed routes for a transmission line that results 33
47		-	in temporary changes to the land. 34 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
48		-	Page 2 House Bill 814-First Edition
49		-	(2) The word "county" means any County. – Any one of the counties listed in 1
50		-	G.S. 153A-10. 2
51		-	(2a) Grid enhancing technology. – Any hardware or software technology that 3
52		-	enhances the performance or improves the efficiency of a transmission 4
53		-	system. Includes energy storage as a transmission asset, dynamic line ratings, 5
54		-	advanced power flow control technology, topology optimization, and flexible 6
55		-	alternating current transmission systems. 7
56		-	(3) The word "land" means any Land. – Any real estate or any estate or interest 8
57		-	in real estate, including water and riparian rights, regardless of the use to 9
58		-	which it is devoted. 10
59		-	(4) The word "lines" means distribution Lines. – Distribution lines and 11
60		-	transmission lines collectively. 12
61		-	(5) The word "municipality" means any Municipality. – Any incorporated 13
62		-	community, whether designated as a city, town, or village and any area over 14
63		-	which it exercises any of the powers granted by Chapter 160D of the General 15
64		-	Statutes. 16
65		-	(6) The term "public utility" means any Public utility. – Any of the following: 17
66		-	a. A public utility, as defined in G.S. 62-3(23). 18
67		-	b. An electric membership corporation. 19
68		-	c. A joint municipal power agency. 20
69		-	d. A city or county that is engaged in producing, generating, transmitting, 21
70		-	delivering, or furnishing electricity for private or public use. 22
71		-	(7) The term "transmission line" means an Transmission line. – An electric line 23
72		-	designed with a capacity of at least 161 kilovolts." 24
73		-	SECTION 3. G.S. 62-101 reads as rewritten: 25
74		-	"§ 62-101. Certificate to construct transmission line. 26
75		-	… 27
76		-	(c) A certificate is not required for construction of any of the following lines: 28
77		-	(1) A line designed to carry less than 161 kilovolts;kilovolts. 29
78		-	(2) The replacement or expansion of an existing line with a similar line in 30
79		-	substantially the same location, or the rebuilding, upgrading, modifying, 31
80		-	modernizing, or reconstructing of an existing line for the purpose of increasing 32
81		-	capacity by no greater than seventy-five percent (75%) of the existing lines or 33
82		-	widening an existing right-of-way;right-of-way. 34
83		-	(2a) The upgrading, modifying, modernizing, or reconstructing of an existing line 35
84		-	for the purpose of increasing capacity solely through the deployment of 36
85		-	advanced conductors and/or grid enhancing technologies for any of the 37
86		-	following purposes: 38
87		-	a. Increasing transmission capacity. 39
88		-	b. Increasing transmission efficiency. 40
89		-	c. Reducing system congestion. 41
90		-	d. Reducing curtailment of energy generation resources. 42
91		-	e. Increasing reliability. 43
92		-	f. Increasing resiliency. 44
93		-	g. Increasing capacity to connect new generation resources. 45
94		-	(3) A transmission line over which the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission 46
95		-	has licensing jurisdiction, if the Commission determines that agency has 47
96		-	conducted a proceeding substantially equivalent to the proceeding required by 48
97		-	this Article;Article. 49
98		-	(4) Any transmission line for which, before March 6, 1989, a public utility or 50
99		-	other person has surveyed a proposed route and, based on that route, has 51 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
100		-	House Bill 814-First Edition Page 3
101		-	acquired rights-of-way for it by voluntary conveyances or has filed 1
102		-	condemnation proceedings for acquiring those rights-of-way which, together, 2
103		-	involve twenty-five percent (25%) or more of the total length of the proposed 3
104		-	route;route. 4
105		-	(5) An electric membership corporation owned transmission line for which the 5
106		-	construction or upgrading has had a proceeding conducted which the 6
107		-	Commission determines is substantially equivalent to the proceeding required 7
108		-	by this Article;Article. 8
109		-	(6) Any line owned by a municipality to be constructed wholly within the 9
110		-	corporate limits of that municipality. 10
111		-	…." 11
112		-	SECTION 4. G.S. 62-102 reads as rewritten: 12
113		-	"§ 62-102. Application for certificate. 13
114		-	(a) An applicant for the certificate described in G.S. 62-101 shall file an application with 14
115		-	the Commission containing all of the following information: 15
116		-	(1) The reasons the transmission line is needed;needed. 16
117		-	(2) A description of the proposed location of the transmission line;line. 17
118		-	(3) A description of the proposed transmission line;line. 18
119		-	(3a) Descriptions of any advanced reconductoring and/or grid enhancing 19
120		-	technologies to be utilized and a summary of the costs and benefits, including, 20
121		-	but not limited to, all of the following: 21
122		-	a. Increasing transmission capacity. 22
123		-	b. Increasing transmission efficiency. 23
124		-	c. Reducing system congestion. 24
125		-	d. Reducing curtailment of energy generation resources. 25
126		-	e. Increasing reliability. 26
127		-	f. Increasing resiliency. 27
128		-	g. Increasing capacity to connect new generation resources. 28
129		-	(3b) A description of any alternatives, including alternative configurations of 29
130		-	advanced reconductoring and/or grid enhancing technologies, evaluated but 30
131		-	not selected for the proposed transmission line and a summary of the costs and 31
132		-	benefits of these alternatives. 32
133		-	(4) An environmental report setting forth:forth all of the following: 33
134		-	a. The environmental impact of the proposed action;action. 34
135		-	b. Any proposed mitigating measures that may minimize the 35
136		-	environmental impact; andimpact. 36
137		-	c. Alternatives to the proposed action. 37
138		-	(5) A list of all necessary approvals that the applicant must obtain before it may 38
139		-	begin to construct the transmission line; andline. 39
140		-	(6) Any other information the Commission requires. 40
141		-	…." 41
142		-	SECTION 5. G.S. 62-110.9 reads as rewritten: 42
143		-	"§ 62-110.9. Requirements concerning reductions in emissions of carbon dioxide from 43
144		-	electric public utilities. 44
145		-	The Utilities Commission shall take all reasonable steps to achieve a seventy percent (70%) 45
146		-	reduction in emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted in the State from electric generating 46
147		-	facilities owned or operated by electric public utilities from 2005 levels by the year 2030 and 47
148		-	carbon neutrality by the year 2050. For purposes of this section, (i) "electric public utility" means 48
149		-	any electric public utility as defined in G.S. 62-3(23) serving at least 150,000 North Carolina 49
150		-	retail jurisdictional customers as of January 1, 2021, and (ii) "carbon neutrality" means for every 50
151		-	ton of CO2 emitted in the State from electric generating facilities owned or operated by or on 51 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
152		-	Page 4 House Bill 814-First Edition
153		-	behalf of electric public utilities, an equivalent amount of CO2 is reduced, removed, prevented, 1
154		-	or offset, provided that the offsets are verifiable and do not exceed five percent (5%) of the 2
155		-	authorized reduction goal. In achieving the authorized carbon reduction goals, the Utilities 3
156		-	Commission shall: 4
157		-	… 5
158		-	(3) Ensure any generation and resource changes maintain or improve upon the 6
159		-	adequacy and reliability of the existing grid. The Carbon Plan shall require the 7
160		-	electric public utility to produce a report demonstrating it evaluated a range of 8
161		-	cost-effective transmission and distribution solutions, including advanced 9
162		-	reconductoring and/or grid enhancing technologies as defined in G.S. 62-100, 10
163		-	joint projects with neighboring and other regional utilities, other upgrades to 11
164		-	existing facilities, and other best practices. The report should include 12
165		-	descriptions of any advanced reconductoring and/or grid enhancing 13
166		-	technologies to be utilized and a summary of costs and benefits, and a 14
167		-	description of any alternatives, including alternative configurations of 15
168		-	advanced conductoring and/or grid enhancing technologies, evaluated but not 16
169		-	selected in the Carbon Plan and a summary of the costs and benefits of these 17
170		-	alternatives. The electric public utility shall also include all of the following 18
171		-	in the report: 19
172		-	a. Updates to the utility's transmission plan under the utility's open access 20
173		-	transmission tariff pursuant to the federal jurisdictional planning 21
174		-	process. In this report, the utility shall, when applicable, describe 22
175		-	planned transmission improvements specific to siting of new resources 23
176		-	expected to impact interconnection constraints or other operations of 24
177		-	the systems. The utility shall also describe how it evaluated alternate 25
178		-	transmission technologies when developing solutions for identified 26
179		-	transmission needs for interconnecting new generation resources. 27
180		-	b. A description of how transmission factored into the utility's evaluation 28
181		-	of the range of future scenarios included in the 15-year time period of 29
182		-	the utility's resource plan, including the retirement of the utility's coal 30
183		-	generation. 31
184		-	c. A discussion of transmission considerations for facilities included in 32
185		-	the utility's preferred resource plan for which there are particular sites 33
186		-	specified. 34
187		-	…." 35
188		-	SECTION 6. This act is effective when it becomes law. 36
	46	+	in temporary changes to the land. 34
	47	+	(2) The word "county" means any County. – Any one of the counties listed in 35
	48	+	G.S. 153A-10. 36
	49	+	H.B. 814
	50	+	Apr 7, 2025
	51	+	HOUSE PRINCIPAL CLERK General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
	52	+	Page 2 DRH30319-NJ-28
	53	+	(2a) Grid enhancing technology. – Any hardware or software technology that 1
	54	+	enhances the performance or improves the efficiency of a transmission 2
	55	+	system. Includes energy storage as a transmission asset, dynamic line ratings, 3
	56	+	advanced power flow control technology, topology optimization, and flexible 4
	57	+	alternating current transmission systems. 5
	58	+	(3) The word "land" means any Land. – Any real estate or any estate or interest 6
	59	+	in real estate, including water and riparian rights, regardless of the use to 7
	60	+	which it is devoted. 8
	61	+	(4) The word "lines" means distribution Lines. – Distribution lines and 9
	62	+	transmission lines collectively. 10
	63	+	(5) The word "municipality" means any Municipality. – Any incorporated 11
	64	+	community, whether designated as a city, town, or village and any area over 12
	65	+	which it exercises any of the powers granted by Chapter 160D of the General 13
	66	+	Statutes. 14
	67	+	(6) The term "public utility" means any Public utility. – Any of the following: 15
	68	+	a. A public utility, as defined in G.S. 62-3(23). 16
	69	+	b. An electric membership corporation. 17
	70	+	c. A joint municipal power agency. 18
	71	+	d. A city or county that is engaged in producing, generating, transmitting, 19
	72	+	delivering, or furnishing electricity for private or public use. 20
	73	+	(7) The term "transmission line" means an Transmission line. – An electric line 21
	74	+	designed with a capacity of at least 161 kilovolts." 22
	75	+	SECTION 3. G.S. 62-101 reads as rewritten: 23
	76	+	"§ 62-101. Certificate to construct transmission line. 24
	77	+	… 25
	78	+	(c) A certificate is not required for construction of any of the following lines: 26
	79	+	(1) A line designed to carry less than 161 kilovolts;kilovolts. 27
	80	+	(2) The replacement or expansion of an existing line with a similar line in 28
	81	+	substantially the same location, or the rebuilding, upgrading, modifying, 29
	82	+	modernizing, or reconstructing of an existing line for the purpose of increasing 30
	83	+	capacity by no greater than seventy-five percent (75%) of the existing lines or 31
	84	+	widening an existing right-of-way;right-of-way. 32
	85	+	(2a) The upgrading, modifying, modernizing, or reconstructing of an existing line 33
	86	+	for the purpose of increasing capacity solely through the deployment of 34
	87	+	advanced conductors and/or grid enhancing technologies for any of the 35
	88	+	following purposes: 36
	89	+	a. Increasing transmission capacity. 37
	90	+	b. Increasing transmission efficiency. 38
	91	+	c. Reducing system congestion. 39
	92	+	d. Reducing curtailment of energy generation resources. 40
	93	+	e. Increasing reliability. 41
	94	+	f. Increasing resiliency. 42
	95	+	g. Increasing capacity to connect new generation resources. 43
	96	+	(3) A transmission line over which the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission 44
	97	+	has licensing jurisdiction, if the Commission determines that agency has 45
	98	+	conducted a proceeding substantially equivalent to the proceeding required by 46
	99	+	this Article;Article. 47
	100	+	(4) Any transmission line for which, before March 6, 1989, a public utility or 48
	101	+	other person has surveyed a proposed route and, based on that route, has 49
	102	+	acquired rights-of-way for it by voluntary conveyances or has filed 50
	103	+	condemnation proceedings for acquiring those rights-of-way which, together, 51 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
	104	+	DRH30319-NJ-28 Page 3
	105	+	involve twenty-five percent (25%) or more of the total length of the proposed 1
	106	+	route;route. 2
	107	+	(5) An electric membership corporation owned transmission line for which the 3
	108	+	construction or upgrading has had a proceeding conducted which the 4
	109	+	Commission determines is substantially equivalent to the proceeding required 5
	110	+	by this Article;Article. 6
	111	+	(6) Any line owned by a municipality to be constructed wholly within the 7
	112	+	corporate limits of that municipality. 8
	113	+	…." 9
	114	+	SECTION 4. G.S. 62-102 reads as rewritten: 10
	115	+	"§ 62-102. Application for certificate. 11
	116	+	(a) An applicant for the certificate described in G.S. 62-101 shall file an application with 12
	117	+	the Commission containing all of the following information: 13
	118	+	(1) The reasons the transmission line is needed;needed. 14
	119	+	(2) A description of the proposed location of the transmission line;line. 15
	120	+	(3) A description of the proposed transmission line;line. 16
	121	+	(3a) Descriptions of any advanced reconductoring and/or grid enhancing 17
	122	+	technologies to be utilized and a summary of the costs and benefits, including, 18
	123	+	but not limited to, all of the following: 19
	124	+	a. Increasing transmission capacity. 20
	125	+	b. Increasing transmission efficiency. 21
	126	+	c. Reducing system congestion. 22
	127	+	d. Reducing curtailment of energy generation resources. 23
	128	+	e. Increasing reliability. 24
	129	+	f. Increasing resiliency. 25
	130	+	g. Increasing capacity to connect new generation resources. 26
	131	+	(3b) A description of any alternatives, including alternative configurations of 27
	132	+	advanced reconductoring and/or grid enhancing technologies, evaluated but 28
	133	+	not selected for the proposed transmission line and a summary of the costs and 29
	134	+	benefits of these alternatives. 30
	135	+	(4) An environmental report setting forth:forth all of the following: 31
	136	+	a. The environmental impact of the proposed action;action. 32
	137	+	b. Any proposed mitigating measures that may minimize the 33
	138	+	environmental impact; andimpact. 34
	139	+	c. Alternatives to the proposed action. 35
	140	+	(5) A list of all necessary approvals that the applicant must obtain before it may 36
	141	+	begin to construct the transmission line; andline. 37
	142	+	(6) Any other information the Commission requires. 38
	143	+	…." 39
	144	+	SECTION 5. G.S. 62-110.9 reads as rewritten: 40
	145	+	"§ 62-110.9. Requirements concerning reductions in emissions of carbon dioxide from 41
	146	+	electric public utilities. 42
	147	+	The Utilities Commission shall take all reasonable steps to achieve a seventy percent (70%) 43
	148	+	reduction in emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted in the State from electric generating 44
	149	+	facilities owned or operated by electric public utilities from 2005 levels by the year 2030 and 45
	150	+	carbon neutrality by the year 2050. For purposes of this section, (i) "electric public utility" means 46
	151	+	any electric public utility as defined in G.S. 62-3(23) serving at least 150,000 North Carolina 47
	152	+	retail jurisdictional customers as of January 1, 2021, and (ii) "carbon neutrality" means for every 48
	153	+	ton of CO2 emitted in the State from electric generating facilities owned or operated by or on 49
	154	+	behalf of electric public utilities, an equivalent amount of CO2 is reduced, removed, prevented, 50
	155	+	or offset, provided that the offsets are verifiable and do not exceed five percent (5%) of the 51 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
	156	+	Page 4 DRH30319-NJ-28
	157	+	authorized reduction goal. In achieving the authorized carbon reduction goals, the Utilities 1
	158	+	Commission shall: 2
	159	+	… 3
	160	+	(3) Ensure any generation and resource changes maintain or improve upon the 4
	161	+	adequacy and reliability of the existing grid. The Carbon Plan shall require the 5
	162	+	electric public utility to produce a report demonstrating it evaluated a range of 6
	163	+	cost-effective transmission and distribution solutions, including advanced 7
	164	+	reconductoring and/or grid enhancing technologies as defined in G.S. 62-100, 8
	165	+	joint projects with neighboring and other regional utilities, other upgrades to 9
	166	+	existing facilities, and other best practices. The report should include 10
	167	+	descriptions of any advanced reconductoring and/or grid enhancing 11
	168	+	technologies to be utilized and a summary of costs and benefits, and a 12
	169	+	description of any alternatives, including alternative configurations of 13
	170	+	advanced conductoring and/or grid enhancing technologies, evaluated but not 14
	171	+	selected in the Carbon Plan and a summary of the costs and benefits of these 15
	172	+	alternatives. The electric public utility shall also include all of the following 16
	173	+	in the report: 17
	174	+	a. Updates to the utility's transmission plan under the utility's open access 18
	175	+	transmission tariff pursuant to the federal jurisdictional planning 19
	176	+	process. In this report, the utility shall, when applicable, describe 20
	177	+	planned transmission improvements specific to siting of new resources 21
	178	+	expected to impact interconnection constraints or other operations of 22
	179	+	the systems. The utility shall also describe how it evaluated alternate 23
	180	+	transmission technologies when developing solutions for identified 24
	181	+	transmission needs for interconnecting new generation resources. 25
	182	+	b. A description of how transmission factored into the utility's evaluation 26
	183	+	of the range of future scenarios included in the 15-year time period of 27
	184	+	the utility's resource plan, including the retirement of the utility's coal 28
	185	+	generation. 29
	186	+	c. A discussion of transmission considerations for facilities included in 30
	187	+	the utility's preferred resource plan for which there are particular sites 31
	188	+	specified. 32
	189	+	…." 33
	190	+	SECTION 6. This act is effective when it becomes law. 34