HB 116: REGIONAL UTILITY CONSTRUCTION OF TRANSMISSION
An Act Relating To Utilities; Enacting A New Section Of The Public Utility Act To Provide For A Public Utility Or A Generation And Transmission Cooperative To Have First Right To Construct, Own And Maintain Certain Transmission Facilities In A Regional Transmission Organization.
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HB 116
REGIONAL UTILITY CONSTRUCTION OF TRANSMISSION
- Legislative URL:
- HB 116 on nmlegis.gov
- Emergency Clause:
- No
- Germane:
- N/A
- Location:
- SJC
- Action:
- HPREF [3] HEENC/HBEC-HEENC [8] DP-HBEC [13] DP [15] PASSED/H (37-19)- SCONC/SJC-SCONC [41] DP-SJC API.
- Issue(s):
- Energy
Companion Bills
Related Legislators
- Bill Sponsor:
- Cathrynn Brown
Related Documents
- Downloads:
-
Introduced
HEENC Committee Report
HBEC Committee Report
Final House Vote
SCONC Committee Report
Fiscal Impact Report
Summary
This bill enacts a new section of the Public Utility Act to give public utilities or generation and transmission cooperatives a right of first refusal to construct, own and maintain certain transmission facilities in a “regional transmission organization.” The bill defines a “transmission facility” as transmission lines and associated facilities able to operate at a nominal voltage of sixty-nine kilovolts or more, and that will interconnect with transmission facilities owned or operated by a public utility or a generation and transmission cooperative. The transmission facilities must be eligible for regional cost allocation and must have been approved by a regional transmission organization to be subject to the right of first refusal.
Currently, the bill would impact only Southern Public Services and the Lea County Electric Cooperative, both of which are members of the Southwest Power Pool RTO, although in the future it may affect other entities in the State if the join an regional transmission organization.
The bill may raise concerns.
- It may give the entities receiving the right of first refusal an unfair advantage over other entities that may be interested in the project and may be able to construct it more efficiently, thus potentially costing the consumer more than necessary.
- It may be possible that the bill might have a negative effect on the investment in renewable energy in New Mexico.