Bill Text: MN SF495 | 2011-2012 | 87th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Renewable development account funded energy projects regulation
Sponsorship: Moderate Partisan Bill (Republican 4-1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-02-28 - Referred to Energy, Utilities and Telecommunications [SF495 Detail]
Download: Minnesota-2011-SF495-Introduced.html
1.2relating to energy; regulating projects funded by renewable development
1.3account; amending Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 116C.779, subdivision 1.
1.4BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.5 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 116C.779, subdivision 1, is amended to
1.6read:
1.7 Subdivision 1. Renewable development account. (a) The public utility that owns
1.8the Prairie Island nuclear generating plant must transfer to a renewable development
1.9account $500,000 each year for each dry cask containing spent fuel that is located at the
1.10Prairie Island power plant for each year the plant is in operation, and $7,500,000 each
1.11year the plant is not in operation if ordered by the commission pursuant to paragraph (d).
1.12The fund transfer must be made if nuclear waste is stored in a dry cask at the independent
1.13spent-fuel storage facility at Prairie Island for any part of a year. Funds in the account
1.14may be expended only for development of renewable energy sources.Preference Projects
1.15must begiven to development of renewable energy source projects located within the
1.16state service territory of the public utility, unless the commission finds that a project
1.17located outside the service territory would provide significantly more benefits to the public
1.18utility's ratepayers than a competing project located within the service territory. The utility
1.19that owns a nuclear generating plant is eligible to apply for renewable development fund
1.20grants. The utility's proposals must be evaluated by the renewable development fund
1.21board in a manner consistent with that used to evaluate other renewable development fund
1.22project proposals.
1.23 (b) The public utility that owns the Monticello nuclear generating plant must transfer
1.24to the renewable development account $350,000 each year for each dry cask containing
2.1spent fuel that is located at the Monticello nuclear power plant for each year the plant is
2.2in operation, and $5,250,000 each year the plant is not in operation if ordered by the
2.3commission pursuant to paragraph (d). The fund transfer must be made if nuclear waste
2.4is stored in a dry cask at the independent spent-fuel storage facility at Monticello for
2.5any part of a year.
2.6 (c) Expenditures from the account may only be made after approval by order of the
2.7Public Utilities Commission upon a petition by the public utility.
2.8 (d) After discontinuation of operation of the Prairie Island nuclear plant or the
2.9Monticello nuclear plant and each year spent nuclear fuel is stored in dry cask at the
2.10discontinued facility, the commission shall require the public utility to pay $7,500,000 for
2.11the discontinued Prairie Island facility and $5,250,000 for the discontinued Monticello
2.12facility for any year in which the commission finds, by the preponderance of the evidence,
2.13that the public utility did not make a good faith effort to remove the spent nuclear
2.14fuel stored at the facility to a permanent or interim storage site out of the state. This
2.15determination shall be made at least every two years.
1.3account; amending Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 116C.779, subdivision 1.
1.4BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.5 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 116C.779, subdivision 1, is amended to
1.6read:
1.7 Subdivision 1. Renewable development account. (a) The public utility that owns
1.8the Prairie Island nuclear generating plant must transfer to a renewable development
1.9account $500,000 each year for each dry cask containing spent fuel that is located at the
1.10Prairie Island power plant for each year the plant is in operation, and $7,500,000 each
1.11year the plant is not in operation if ordered by the commission pursuant to paragraph (d).
1.12The fund transfer must be made if nuclear waste is stored in a dry cask at the independent
1.13spent-fuel storage facility at Prairie Island for any part of a year. Funds in the account
1.14may be expended only for development of renewable energy sources.
1.15must be
1.16
1.17located outside the service territory would provide significantly more benefits to the public
1.18utility's ratepayers than a competing project located within the service territory. The utility
1.19that owns a nuclear generating plant is eligible to apply for renewable development fund
1.20grants. The utility's proposals must be evaluated by the renewable development fund
1.21board in a manner consistent with that used to evaluate other renewable development fund
1.22project proposals.
1.23 (b) The public utility that owns the Monticello nuclear generating plant must transfer
1.24to the renewable development account $350,000 each year for each dry cask containing
2.1spent fuel that is located at the Monticello nuclear power plant for each year the plant is
2.2in operation, and $5,250,000 each year the plant is not in operation if ordered by the
2.3commission pursuant to paragraph (d). The fund transfer must be made if nuclear waste
2.4is stored in a dry cask at the independent spent-fuel storage facility at Monticello for
2.5any part of a year.
2.6 (c) Expenditures from the account may only be made after approval by order of the
2.7Public Utilities Commission upon a petition by the public utility.
2.8 (d) After discontinuation of operation of the Prairie Island nuclear plant or the
2.9Monticello nuclear plant and each year spent nuclear fuel is stored in dry cask at the
2.10discontinued facility, the commission shall require the public utility to pay $7,500,000 for
2.11the discontinued Prairie Island facility and $5,250,000 for the discontinued Monticello
2.12facility for any year in which the commission finds, by the preponderance of the evidence,
2.13that the public utility did not make a good faith effort to remove the spent nuclear
2.14fuel stored at the facility to a permanent or interim storage site out of the state. This
2.15determination shall be made at least every two years.
