HF 2104

as introduced - 88th Legislature (2013 - 2014) Posted on 02/25/2014 03:07pm

A bill for an act
relating to energy; authorizing certain electric cooperatives and municipal
electric utilities to voluntarily contribute funding for incentives to consumers
installing solar modules manufactured in Minnesota; amending Minnesota
Statutes 2013 Supplement, section 216C.412, subdivision 2.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2013 Supplement, section 216C.412, subdivision 2,
is amended to read:

Subd. 2.

Payments from public utilities.

(a) Beginning January 1, 2014, and each
January 1 thereafter, through 2023, for a total of ten years, each electric public utility
subject to section 216B.241 must new text begin , and each cooperative electric association and municipal
utility selling electricity at retail that is subject to section 216B.241 may, new text end annually pay
to the commissioner of commerce five percent of the minimum amount it is required to
spend on energy conservation improvements under section 216B.241, subdivision 1a.
Payments under this subdivision must be included in the calculation of whether a utility's
other spending on generation exceeds the limits authorized for spending on generation
under section 216B.2411, subdivision 1, for investments proposed for commissioner of
commerce approval after July 1, 2013. The limits on spending in section 216B.2411 do
not limit or apply to payments required by this subdivision. Payments made under this
paragraph count toward satisfying expenditure obligations of a deleted text begin public deleted text end utility under section
216B.241, subdivision 1a new text begin or 1b, as applicable new text end . The commissioner shall, upon receipt
of the funds, deposit them in the account established in subdivision 1. A public utility
subject to this paragraph must be credited energy savings for the purpose of satisfying
its energy savings requirement under section 216B.241, subdivision 1c, based on its
payment to the commissioner.

(b) Notwithstanding section 116C.779, subdivision 1, paragraph (g), beginning
January 1, 2014, and continuing through January 1, 2023, for a total of ten years, the
public utility that manages the account under section 116C.779 must annually pay from
that account to the commissioner an amount that, when added to the total amount paid to
the commissioner of commerce under paragraph (a), totals $15,000,000 annually. The
commissioner shall, upon receipt of the payment, deposit it in the account established in
subdivision 1.

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment.
new text end