SF 1369

as introduced - 84th Legislature (2005 - 2006) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

A bill for an act
relating to utilities; requiring consideration of
installation opportunities for distributed generation;
authorizing establishment of local power quality
zones; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota
Statutes, chapter 216B.

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

Section 1.

new text begin [216B.2426] OPPORTUNITIES FOR DISTRIBUTED
GENERATION.
new text end

new text begin The commission shall ensure that opportunities for the
installation of distributed generation, as that term is defined
in section 216B.169, subdivision 1, paragraph (c), are
considered in any proceeding under section 216B.2422, 216B.2425,
or 216B.243.
new text end

Sec. 2.

new text begin [216B.82] LOCAL POWER QUALITY ZONES.
new text end

new text begin (a) Upon petition of a public utility or a ratepayer
located within the utility's service territory, the commission
may establish a local power quality zone. The commission may
authorize the utility to collect the direct costs of providing
higher quality power through one of the following options, or
any appropriate combination of the two:
new text end

new text begin (1) from customers within a zone, through tariffs and
surcharges for service in a zone that appropriately reflect the
cost of service to those customers; or
new text end

new text begin (2) from all of the utility's ratepayers, through an
automatic adjustment of charges, if the commission determines
that is in the public interest to do so.
new text end

new text begin (b) For the purposes of this section:
new text end

new text begin (i) "local power quality zone" means a geographic location
within a utility's service territory where the utility commits
to providing customers within the zone higher quality power than
is generally available outside the zone; and
new text end

new text begin (ii) "higher quality power" means a significantly lower
number of service interruptions and voltage fluctuations
resulting from the construction of structural redundancies and
enhancements.
new text end