1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to energy; regulating a mandate to generate 
  1.3             electricity using biomass as a fuel; amending 
  1.4             Minnesota Statutes 1995 Supplement, section 216B.2424. 
  1.5   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.6      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1995 Supplement, section 
  1.7   216B.2424, is amended to read: 
  1.8      216B.2424 [BIOMASS POWER MANDATE.] 
  1.9      Subdivision 1.  [FARM GROWN CLOSED-LOOP BIOMASS.] For 
  1.10  purposes of this section "farm grown closed-loop biomass" means 
  1.11  biomass, as defined in section 216C.051, subdivision 7, that 
  1.12  shows demonstrable economic benefits to the state of Minnesota.  
  1.13     Subd. 2.  [MANDATE.] A public utility, as defined in 
  1.14  section 216B.02, subdivision 4, that operates a nuclear-powered 
  1.15  electric generating plant within this state must construct and 
  1.16  operate, purchase, or contract to construct and operate (1) by 
  1.17  December 31, 1998, 50 megawatts of electric energy installed 
  1.18  capacity within the state generated by farm grown closed-loop 
  1.19  biomass scheduled to be operational by December 31, 2001; and 
  1.20  (2) by December 31, 1998, an additional 75 megawatts of 
  1.21  installed capacity within the state so generated scheduled to be 
  1.22  operational by December 31, 2002.  Of the total 125 megawatts of 
  1.23  biomass electric energy installed capacity required under this 
  1.24  section, no more than 75 megawatts may be provided by a single 
  1.25  project.  Of the 75 megawatts of biomass electric energy 
  2.1   installed capacity required under clause (2), no more than 25 
  2.2   megawatts of this capacity may be provided by a St. Paul 
  2.3   district heating and cooling system cogeneration facility 
  2.4   utilizing waste wood as a primary fuel source.  The St. Paul 
  2.5   district heating and cooling system cogeneration facility need 
  2.6   not use biomass that complies with the definition in subdivision 
  2.7   1.  The public utility must accept and consider on an equal 
  2.8   basis with other proposals a proposal to satisfy the 
  2.9   requirements of this section that includes a project that 
  2.10  exceeds the megawatt capacity requirements of either clause (1) 
  2.11  or (2) and that proposes to sell the excess capacity to the 
  2.12  public utility or to other purchasers.  
  2.13     Sec. 2.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
  2.14     Section 1 is effective the day following final enactment.