Missouri Senate

Perfected

This act modifies the definition of "appropriate pretax revenues" and "gas utility plant projects" for provisions of law relating to an infrastructure system replacement surcharge (ISRS) for gas corporations.

Any gas corporation whose ISRS is found by a court of competent jurisdiction to include illegal and inappropriate charges shall refund every current customer of the gas corporation who paid such charges, before the gas corporation can file for a new ISRS.

This act requires gas corporations utilizing ISRS to develop and file with the Public Service Commission a pre-qualification process for contractors seeking to participate in competitive bidding to install ISRS-eligible gas utility plant projects. The gas corporation may specify the criteria that the contractor shall meet in order to qualify to participate in the competitive bidding process. Under this act, the gas corporation shall file a verified statement with the Public Service Commission stating that it has in place a pre-qualification process by January 1, 2022.

Any ISRS petition thereafter shall be accompanied with a verified statement that the gas corporation is using a competitive bidding process for installing no less than 25% of ISRS-eligible gas utility plant projects. Under this act, the lowest and best bid in the competitive bidding process shall receive the contract to perform the project.

Under this act, the Public Service Commission shall prepare a report for the General Assembly annually, with the first report being submitted by December 31, 2023, on the competitive bidding process established under this act.

The provisions of law relating to the ISRS for gas corporations shall expire on August 28, 2029.

These provisions are similar to provisions contained in SCS/SB 730 (2018).

The act also requires, beginning with the first general rate proceeding after June 1, 2020, every gas corporation to submit an evaluation, plan, or tariff regarding the utilization of renewable natural gas.

JAMIE ANDREWS