HB1420: Electric transmission facilities.

Legislative Summary

Electric transmission facilities. Amends the chapter in the Indiana Code concerning electric transmission facilities as follows: (1) Specifies that the term "electric transmission facility" does not include a line installed solely for the purpose of connecting an electric generation facility to facilities owned by a public utility. (2) Repeals the definition of "local reliability electric transmission facility" and makes conforming changes. (3) Amends the provisions concerning an incumbent electric transmission owner's right of first refusal to construct, own, operate, and maintain certain electric transmission facilities, or upgrades to certain electric transmission facilities, as follows: (A) Specifies that the right of first refusal applies with respect to: (ii) the construction; or (ii) upgrades; of electric transmission facilities if the construction or upgrades have been approved through a regional transmission organization (RTO) planning process. (B) Provides that if an electric transmission facility has been approved for construction through an RTO planning process: (i) each incumbent electric transmission owner that has a right to construct, own, operate, and maintain the electric transmission facility shall give written notice to the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC), not later than 90 days after the construction is approved, regarding the incumbent electric transmission owner's intent to construct, own, operate, and maintain the approved electric transmission facility; and (ii) if an incumbent electric transmission owner gives notice of intent not to construct the approved electric transmission facility, another entity may seek to construct the approved electric transmission facility in accordance with the RTO planning process and the bill's provisions. (C) Provides that if an incumbent electric transmission owner gives to the IURC during a calendar year notice of its intent to construct, own, operate, and maintain an approved electric transmission facility, the incumbent electric transmission owner shall, not later than May 1 of the subsequent calendar year, provide the IURC with certain specified information. (D) Provides that an incumbent electric transmission owner that exercises its right to construct an approved electric transmission facility must, to the extent commercially practicable, use competitively bid engineering, procurement, or construction contracts that meet the specifications required by the incumbent electric transmission owner with respect to the facility.