ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Phoenix, Arizona
transmission lines;
committee; procedures
(now: line siting committee;
compensation; penalties)
Purpose
Requires an entity planning
construction of a power plant in this state to submit a plan to the Arizona
Corporation Commission (ACC) detailing certain information and provides
compensation to certain members of the Power Plant and Transmission Line Siting
Committee (Committee).
Background
Current statute requires
utilities planning to construct power transmission lines in this state to file
a ten-year plan with the ACC. Each plan
filed must contain information relating to the size and proposed route of the
planned transmission line and the estimated date by which the transmission line
will be in operation. The ACC, through
the Committee, assesses the plans biennially for adequacy and reliability of
the existing and planned transmission facilities in meeting this state’s present
and future energy needs. The ACC
indicates that as a result of the heavy workload undertaken by the Committee
over the last year, it has become necessary to provide compensation to the
public members so that they will be willing to serve.
The ACC has approved to date
the construction of eight new power plants across the state and an additional
13 plants are scheduled to be built in the future. The ACC indicates that it lacks statutory authority to collect basic
information from any party intending to construct a new power plant in the
state. The ACC believes that any new
power plant directly effects the operation of the state’s transmission system
and could therefore compromise its reliability. In order to analyze the adequacy and reliability of the state’s
transmission system properly, the ACC is seeking authorization to request more
information for the required ten-year plans.
There is no anticipated
fiscal impact to the state general fund associated with this measure. If enacted, compensation of specified
members of the Committee will be made payable from the utility siting fund, a
clearing account for filing fees.
Provisions
1. Provides compensation of $200 per meeting attended, prorated for partial days, to members of the committee that represent the public. Stipulates that Committee members employed by government entities are not eligible to receive compensation.
2. States that the Committee shall use monies from the utility siting fund to compensate the public members of the committee.
3. Requires a person contemplating construction of any plant within the state to file a plan with the ACC 90 days before filing an application for a Certificate of Environmental Compatibility.
4. Applies the reporting requirement for data pertaining to transmission lines to proposed power plants and requires certain information for the proposed power plant to be included in the plan.
5. Specifies that information provided to the ACC regarding proposed power plants is confidential. Specifies that any ACC official who knowingly releases such information is guilty of a class 2 misdemeanor.
6. Defines “current Arizona electric transmission system.”
7. Makes technical and conforming changes.
8. Provides for a general effective date.
Amendments
Adopted by Appropriations Committee
Clarifies that the information furnished to the ACC that is confidential in nature pertains to the plans on proposed power plants.
EUT 2/14/01
DPA/SE 10-0-0-0 COM 3/14/01
DP 4-0-2-0
3rd Read 2/26/01 47-9-4-0 APPROP 3/13/01 DPA 10-0-2-0
Prepared by Senate Staff
March 14, 2001