Bill Text: HI HB1405 | 2013 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Renewable Energy; Public Utilities Commission; Public Benefits Fee
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2013-07-09 - Act 260, 7/3/2013 (Gov. Msg. No. 1363). [HB1405 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2013-HB1405-Introduced.html
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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
H.B. NO. |
1405 |
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TWENTY-SEVENTH LEGISLATURE, 2013 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
relating to the public utilities commission.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. The legislature finds that transparency in the process of purchasing renewable electricity generated from nonfossil fuel sources serves the interests of independent power producers who compete to sell energy to the energy utilities and of the rate-paying public by creating an opportunity for review and oversight of the public utilities commission's decision-making process.
The purpose of this Act is to increase transparency in power purchase contracts for renewable energy by requiring the public utilities commission to publish power purchase contracts, in their entirety, on its website.
SECTION 2. Section 269-27.2, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (c) to read as follows:
"(c) The rate payable by the public utility to the producer for the nonfossil fuel generated electricity supplied to the public utility shall be as agreed between the public utility and the supplier and as approved by the public utilities commission; provided that in the event the public utility and the supplier fail to reach an agreement for a rate, the rate shall be as prescribed by the public utilities commission according to the powers and procedures provided in this chapter.
The commission's determination of the just and reasonable rate shall be accomplished by establishing a methodology that removes or significantly reduces any linkage between the price of fossil fuels and the rate for the nonfossil fuel generated electricity to potentially enable utility customers to share in the benefits of fuel cost savings resulting from the use of nonfossil fuel generated electricity. As the commission deems appropriate, the just and reasonable rate for nonfossil fuel generated electricity supplied to the public utility by the producer may include mechanisms for reasonable and appropriate incremental adjustments, such as adjustments linked to consumer price indices for inflation or other acceptable adjustment mechanisms.
The commission shall publish all contracts for the purchase of nonfossil fuel generated energy by a public utility on a publicly-accessible portion of the commission's website; provided that all contracts shall include the purchase price of energy expressed as cost per kilowatt hour as approved or determined by the commission. All contracts shall be published upon filing of the contract with the commission; provided that a contract may be published at the time of filing with certain proprietary information redacted; provided further that upon a final approval or determination of the commission, the contract shall be published in its entirety."
SECTION 3. New statutory material is underscored.
SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2013.
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INTRODUCED BY: |
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Report Title:
Renewable Energy; Public Utilities Commission
Description:
Requires the public utilities commission to publish contracts, including price information, for the purchase of renewable energy by energy utilities on a publicly-accessible portion of the commission's website, with certain exceptions.
The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
