hf659 FOURTH ENGROSSMENT Minnesota Energy Security and Reliability Act adopted requiring an energy plan, providing essential infrastructure, regulating conservation expenditures, encouraging flexibility, and providing safety standards. ARTICLE ENERGY PLANNING Section 1: Act title provided. Sec. 2: State transmission plan established and detailed. Sec. 3: Existing power generation facility maintenance and upgrade standards adopted. Sec. 4: "Energy security" defined. Sec. 5: Energy security blueprint required and format provided. Sec. 6: Energy blueprint contents regulated. Sec. 7: Energy goals provided. Sec. 8: Blueprint development public participation encouraged and notification of meetings required. Sec. 9: Regional energy infrastructure planning regions established and planning groups created. Report required, and "deficiency" defined. Sec. 10: Reliability administrator position established and responsibilities provided. Sec. 11: Effective date provided. ARTICLE 2 ESSENTIAL ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURESection 1: Pollution control agency permit regulations and criteria modified. Sec. 2: "Utility" definition modified. Sec. 3: Large electric power facility site and route selection to be determined by the board. Sec. 4: Interstate route permit regulations clarified. Sec. 5: Site permit regulations provided. Sec. 6: Route permit regulations provided. Sec. 7: Large electric power plant construction permit application procedures provided. Sec. 8: Application notification required. Sec. 9: Environmental impact statement required to be posted on each propose large electric generating plant or high voltage transmission line. Sec. 10: Public hearings on applications for site permits required. Sec. 11: Language clarified. Sec. 12: Application decision timeframe established. Sec. 13: Final permit decision criteria provided. Sec. 14: Alternative process for review of applications established. Sec. 15: Emergency permit procedure provided. Sec. 16: Annual public hearing format modified. Sec. 17: Advisory task force duties to be specified by the board. Sec. 18: Scientific advisory task force project completion time extension prohibited. Sec. 19: Language updated. Sec. 20: "Large energy facility" definition modified. Sec. 21: Procedure to modify existing large energy facilities provided. Sec. 22: Large energy facility certificate of need required and criteria established. Sec. 23: Public purpose project designation regulations provided. Sec. 24: Criteria for allowing the construction of a large energy facility modified. Sec. 25: Hearing for application for certificate required and joint hearing allowed. Sec. 26: Revisor instruction. Sec. 27: Repealer. Sec. 28: Effective date.ARTICLE 3 REGULATORY FLEXIBILITYSection 1: Energy cost adjustment provided and provisions for fuel price volatility added. Sec. 2: Renewable and high efficiency energy rate options required. Sec. 3: Conservation investment program established, related terms defined, and program detailed. Sec. 4: Utilities allowed to request the commission to approve or reject the resource plan proposal. Sec. 5: Joint ventures by utilities related terms defined and regulations detailed. Sec. 6: Exception to section 5 provided. Sec. 7: Exemption for large energy facilities extended.ARTICLE 4 INTERCONNECTION OF DISTRIBUTED RESOURCESSection 1: Related terms defined. Sec. 2: Interconnnection of on-site distributed generation purpose provided and tariff initiated. Sec. 3: Disconnection and reconnection regulations established. Sec. 4: Pre-interconnection studies for nonnetwork interconnection of distributed generation required. Sec. 5: Pre-interconnection studies for network interconnection of distributed generation required. Sec. 6: Equipment precertification required and procedures established. Sec. 7: Interconnection application processing time schedules provided. Sec. 8: Reporting requirements provided.ARTICLE 5 CONFORMING AMENDMENTSSections 1-7: Language clarified, technical changes. Sec. 8: Revisor instruction.ARTICLE 6 MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS Section 1: Powers and duties of the chair expanded. Sec. 2: Regulations concerning power disconnection during cold weather clarified. Sec. 3: Disconnection between October 15 and April 15 prohibited under certain conditions. Sec. 4: Consumer protection provisions established. Medically necessary equipment defined, undercharge situations detailed, and budget billing plans established. Sec. 5: Low-income rate pilot program eliminated, replaced by standard low-income program. Sec. 6: Preventative maintenance requirements provided. Sec. 7: Wind energy conversion system regulations established. Sec. 8: Wind energy conversion facility qualification criteria and incentive payment options provided. Sec. 9: Repealer. Sec. 10: Effective date.ARTICLE 7 SAFETY AND SERVICE STANDARDSSection 1: Related safety and service standard terms defined. Sec. 2: Recording service interruption index required and contents specified. Sec. 3: Annual summary report required and contents specified. Sec. 4: Initial historical reliability performance report required. Sec. 5: Notification and records of interruption of service required. Sec. 6: Customer complaint records required. Sec. 7: Distribution utility standards established. Sec. 8: Cost benefit analysis required. Sec. 9: Effective date.AE