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116C.779 FUNDING FOR RENEWABLE DEVELOPMENT.

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 (d). 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. 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.

(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.

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

(d) After discontinuation of operation of the Prairie Island nuclear plant or the Monticello nuclear plant and each year spent nuclear fuel is stored in dry cask at the discontinued facility, the commission shall require the public utility to pay $7,500,000 for the discontinued Prairie Island facility and $5,250,000 for the discontinued Monticello facility 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 the facility to a permanent or interim storage site out of the state. This determination shall be made at least every two years.

Subd. 2.Renewable energy production incentive.

(a) Until January 1, 2018, up to $10,900,000 annually must be allocated from available funds in the account to fund renewable energy production incentives. $9,400,000 of this annual amount is for incentives for up to 200 megawatts of electricity generated by wind energy conversion systems that are eligible for the incentives under section 216C.41. The balance of this amount, up to $1,500,000 annually, may be used for production incentives for on-farm biogas recovery facilities that are eligible for the incentive under section 216C.41 or for production incentives for other renewables, to be provided in the same manner as under section 216C.41. Any portion of the $10,900,000 not expended in any calendar year for the incentive is available for other spending purposes under this section. This subdivision does not create an obligation to contribute funds to the account.

(b) The Department of Commerce shall determine eligibility of projects under section 216C.41 for the purposes of this subdivision. At least quarterly, the Department of Commerce shall notify the public utility of the name and address of each eligible project owner and the amount due to each project under section 216C.41. The public utility shall make payments within 15 working days after receipt of notification of payments due.

Official Publication of the State of Minnesota
Revisor of Statutes