SB 805 - The provisions of the act shall apply when the permission and approval from the Public Service Commission is sought for the construction of electric transmission facilities approved by a regional transmission operator. Design specifications for such facilities are described in the act. Such facilities will be sited with or replace or upgrade existing above-ground electrical infrastructure that is not owned by an entity seeking permission and approval for the construction of such facilities from the Commission as described in the act. Each electrical corporation seeking permission and approval for the construction of a public utility shall competitively bid the major construction components of each project and shall utilize competitive sourcing strategies for all related major materials. Only electrical corporations that own in-service electric transmission facilities that are under the functional control of a regional transmission operator and to which the facilities will connect may file applications with the Commission for permission and approval to construct the facilities as described in the act. Conditions for the approval for the construction of the facility by the Commission are described in the act.
The act shall not limit the right of any electrical corporation to seek permission and approval from the Commission to construct, operate, and maintain electric transmission facilities that will not initially connect to electric transmission facilities that are not under the functional control of a regional transmission operator. The act shall not limit the right of any electrical corporation, municipalities, joint electric utility commissions, rural cooperatives, or any other electric or non profit corporations, as described in the act, to construct, operate, and maintain electric transmission facilities that are not under the functional control of a regional transmission operator. Requirements for considerations of applications for the construction of the electric transmission facilities are described in the act.
By March 31, 2025, the Commission shall adopt rules applicable to electrical corporations that require the entity constructing an electric transmission line under the act to adhere to standards to be adopted by the rules relating to construction activities occurring on privately owned agricultural land. Specifics for such standards are described in the act.
Under the act, the authority of any corporation to condemn property shall not extend to acquisition of rights needed to construct, operate, and maintain certain electrical infrastructure described in the act and other facilities needed to collect and deliver energy generated or manufactured by the electric transmission facilities.
The act is similar to SB 568 (2023).
JULIA SHEVELEVA