HF 2280

as introduced - 85th Legislature (2007 - 2008) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

A bill for an act
relating to energy; removing prohibition against issuing certificate of need for
nuclear-powered electric generating plant; extending sunset date for Legislative
Electric Energy Task Force and requiring it to contract for a study of economic
and environmental effects of constructing a nuclear-powered electric generating
plant; appropriating money; amending Minnesota Statutes 2006, sections
216B.243, subdivision 3b; 216C.051, subdivision 9.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 216B.243, subdivision 3b, is amended to
read:

Subd. 3b.

deleted text begin Nuclear power plant; new construction prohibited; relicensing deleted text end new text begin
Additional storage of spent nuclear fuel new text end .

deleted text begin (a) The commission may not issue a certificate
of need for the construction of a new nuclear-powered electric generating plant.
deleted text end

deleted text begin (b) deleted text end Any certificate of need for additional storage of spent nuclear fuel for a facility
seeking a license extension deleted text begin shall deleted text end new text begin must new text end address the impacts of continued operations over
the period for which approval is sought.

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 216C.051, subdivision 9, is amended to read:

Subd. 9.

Expiration.

This section is repealed June 30, deleted text begin 2007 deleted text end new text begin 2008 new text end .

Sec. 3. new text begin NUCLEAR ENERGY STUDY.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Scope of study. new text end

new text begin The Legislative Electric Energy Task Force
shall contract with an entity to conduct a comprehensive study of the economic and
environmental costs and benefits of constructing a new nuclear-powered electric
generating plant in Minnesota. The study must investigate, at a minimum:
new text end

new text begin (1) advances in technology that would be reflected in the plant's design and
operation, compared with the technology embodied in nuclear-powered electric generating
plants currently operating in Minnesota, and their impact on the plant's useful life, its
operation and maintenance costs, and its health and safety risks;
new text end

new text begin (2) predesign, design, and construction costs of constructing a 600-megawatt
nuclear-powered generating plant in Minnesota, and comparable costs of delivering an
equivalent amount of energy by:
new text end

new text begin (i) constructing a conventional coal plant;
new text end

new text begin (ii) constructing a coal plant using "clean-coal" technology;
new text end

new text begin (iii) constructing a coal gasification plant; and
new text end

new text begin (iv) a combination of cost-effective energy conservation investments, including the
implementation of statewide efficiency standards for a range of electric appliances, and
energy generated from renewable sources including wind, solar, biomass, and geothermal;
new text end

new text begin (3) estimated costs of storing the plant's nuclear waste on site;
new text end

new text begin (4) the projected retail rate per kilowatt hour from the plant, compared with the
projected rate from the alternatives listed in clause (2), items (i) through (iv). These
projected rates must include, as applicable, different estimates of a regulatory tax imposed
on electric generation plants based on the amount of carbon emitted;
new text end

new text begin (5) environmental impacts of the plant's operation, compared with those associated
with each alternative listed in clause (2), items (i) through (iv), to water, to land, and to air,
including greenhouse gas emissions and particulates; and
new text end

new text begin (6) the health effects associated with human exposure to the plant's emissions.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Report. new text end

new text begin The study's findings must be submitted in a report to the
Legislative Electric Energy Task Force no later than March 1, 2008.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Assessment. new text end

new text begin The cost of the report must not exceed $200,000, and must be
paid from revenues raised through the Legislative Electric Energy Task Force's assessment
authority under Minnesota Statutes, section 216C.051, subdivision 6.
new text end

Sec. 4. new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE.
new text end

new text begin Sections 1 to 3 are effective the day following final enactment.
new text end