MOD
SB 321
UTILITY CHARGES FOR CERTAIN SCHOOLS
- Legislative URL:
- SB 321 on nmlegis.gov
- Emergency Clause:
- No
- Germane:
- N/A
- Location:
- Vetoed
- Action:
- [4] SCONC/SCORC-SCONC [19] DP-SCORC [24] DP - PASSED/S (35-0) [36] HENRC [39] DP [51] PASSED/H (65-1) POCKET VETO.
- Hearing:
- Wednesday, February 12, 2014 - 2:00 p.m. or ½ hr. after session - Room 311
- Issue(s):
- Energy
Related Legislators
- Bill Sponsor:
- William Payne
Related Documents
- Downloads:
-
Introduced
SCONC Committee Report
SCORC Committee Report
Final Senate Vote
HENRC Committee Report
Final House Vote
Fiscal Impact Report
Final Version
Summary
This bill amends the Renewable Energy Act to exempt some of the States educational institutions from charges by a utility for renewable energy procurements if the institution has electric consumption exceeding 20 million kilowatt-hours per year at any single location or facility and if it owns renewable energy generation.
The institutions that are eligible for this exemption if they have an enrollment of 24,000 or more students during the fall semester on their main campuses include UNM, NMSU, Highlands, WNMU, ENMU, NMIMT, NMMI, the New Mexico School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, the New Mexico School for the Deaf, and Northern New Mexico College.
This same exemption from renewable energy procurement charges exists in current law for political subdivisions of the state that have a consumption level exceeding 20 million kilowatt-hours per year. The political subdivisions (and the educational institutions if the bill passes) must certify to the State Auditor and notify the Public Regulation Commission and the utility serving its area that it will expend 2.5% of that year’s annual electricity charges to continue to develop within 24 months customer-owned renewable energy generation. And, the customer must also certify that it will retire all renewable energy certificates associated with the energy produced from that expenditure.
The bill might be a positive step towards the development of additional renewable energy generation systems at the State’s colleges because such development may become more financially feasible.
Date of Summary: 1/30/2013