SB 139 - SPECIFICATIONS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF ELECTRIC TRANSMISSION FACILITIES (Section 393.170) 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 from the Commission for the construction of the facility 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 right of any electrical corporation, municipal utility, joint electric utility commissions, rural cooperatives, or any other electric or non-profit corporation, as described in the act, shall not be limited to construct, operate, and maintain electric transmission facilities that are not under the functional control of a regional transmission operator. Considerations of applications for the construction of the electric transmission facilities are described in the act.
The act creates the definitions for "electric transmission facilities" and "regional transmission operator".
These provisions are identical to a provision in HB 1449 (2024), and substantially similar to SB 805 (2024), and similar to HB 1805 (2024) and SB 568 (2023).
CONSTRUCTION OF ELECTRIC TRANSMISSION LINES ON AGRICULTURAL LAND (Section 393.172)
Under the act, by March 31, 2026, the Commission shall adopt rules applicable to the electrical corporations that require the entity constructing an electric transmission line under the act to adhere to the 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.
This provision is identical to a provision in SB 805 (2024), and similar to a provision in HB 1449 (2024).
CONDEMNATION OF LAND BY CERTAIN UTILITIES (Section 523.010)
Under the act, the authority of any corporation to condemn property shall not extend to the construction or erection of any facility or structure that utilizes, captures, or converts wind or air currents, or solar energy to generate or manufacture electricity.
The authority of such corporation to condemn property shall extend to the acquisition of rights needed to construct, operate, and maintain certain electrical infrastructure, as described in the act, needed to collect and deliver energy generated or manufactured by solar or wind facilities to the distribution or transmission grid.
This provision is identical to a provision in SB 805 (2024), a provision in SCS/HCS/HB 1746 (2024), SB 1262 (2024), HB 1449 (2024), the perfected HB 1750 (2024), and similar to SB 833 (2024).
JULIA SHEVELEVA