SF 2199

Introduction - 85th Legislature (2007 - 2008)

Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00 a.m.

A bill for an act
relating to energy; regulating the storage of nuclear waste at nuclear generating
plants; amending Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 116C.779, subdivision 1;
proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 216B.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 116C.779, subdivision 1, is amended to
read:

Subdivision 1.

Renewable development account.

(a) The public utility that owns
the Prairie Island nuclear generating plant must transfer to a renewable development
account $16,000,000 annually each year the plant is in operation, and $7,500,000 each
year the plant is not in operation if ordered by the commission pursuant to paragraph
deleted text begin (c) deleted text end new text begin (d) new text end . The fund transfer must be made if nuclear waste is stored in a dry cask at the
independent spent-fuel storage facility at Prairie Island for any part of a year. Funds
in the account may be expended only for development of renewable energy sources.
Preference must be given to development of renewable energy source projects located
within the state. new text begin The utility that owns a nuclear generating plant is eligible to apply for
renewable development fund grants. The utility's proposals must be evaluated by the
renewable development fund board in a manner consistent with that used to evaluate other
renewable development fund project proposals.
new text end

new text begin (b) The public utility that owns the Monticello nuclear generating plant must transfer
to the renewable development account $350,000 each year for each dry cask containing
spent fuel that is located at the Monticello nuclear power plant for each year the plant is
in operation, and $5,250,000 each year the plant is not in operation if ordered by the
commission pursuant to paragraph (d). The fund transfer must be made if nuclear waste
is stored in a dry cask at the independent spent-fuel storage facility at Monticello for
any part of a year.
new text end

deleted text begin (b) deleted text end new text begin (c) new text end Expenditures from the account may only be made after approval by order of
the Public Utilities Commission upon a petition by the public utility.

deleted text begin (c) deleted text end new text begin (d) new text end After discontinuation of operation of the Prairie Island nuclear plant new text begin or the
Monticello nuclear plant new text end and each year spent nuclear fuel is stored in dry cask at the
deleted text begin Prairie Island deleted text end facility, the commission shall require the public utility to pay $7,500,000 new text begin for
each facility that has been discontinued new text end for any year in which the commission finds, by the
preponderance of the evidence, that the public utility did not make a good faith effort to
remove the spent nuclear fuel stored at deleted text begin Prairie Island deleted text end new text begin the facility new text end to a permanent or interim
storage site out of the state. This determination shall be made at least every two years.

Sec. 2.

new text begin [216B.1637] RECOVERY OF UTILITY GREENHOUSE GAS
INFRASTRUCTURE COSTS.
new text end

new text begin A utility that owns a nuclear generating plant may propose to the commission electric
and natural gas infrastructure improvements that result in the reduction of greenhouse
gases. The commission may approve proposals if it determines, after notice and comment,
that the project is consistent with the public interest and appropriately reduces greenhouse
gases from the utility's electric or natural gas generating, transmission, or distribution
assets without excessive cost. The commission shall provide timely recovery of the
utility's costs of any approved projects through a rate adjustment similar to that provided
for transmission projects under section 216B.16, subdivision 7b.
new text end