There’s no shortage of bills filed in the approaching Oklahoma legislative session when it comes to utilities. Some focus on natural gas supplies, wind farms, alert systems, a nuclear energy study and CO2 sequestration facilities.
Norman State Sen. Lisa Standridge filed SB1001 which would create restrictions on a public utility’s advertising expenses.
“If a public utility is the only provider of a utility service within the utility’s service area, advertising expenses shall not be included by a public utility in its operating expenses for ratemaking purposes.”
Sen. Todd Gollihare of Kellyville filed SB998 which would require quicker approval by the Oklahoma Corporation Commission of transmission line upgrades by a utility if natural gas is involved.
“If the electric generation facility uses natural gas as its primary
fuel source, then the Commission shall enter an order on an
application filed pursuant to this subsection within one hundred
eighty (180) days of the filing of the application, following notice
and hearing and after consideration of reasonable alternatives.
2. Regardless of the generation source, bids received by the
utility through a competitive bidding process within the twelve
months following the final bid due date of such competitive bidding process shall be considered substantial evidence to satisfy the consideration of reasonable alternatives. ”
Kingfisher Sen. Darcy Jech filed SB713 an Act relating to wind energy facilities. The Act calls for existing wind energy facilities to apply for certain light mitigating technology system by certain date.
“Light-mitigating technology system” means aircraft
detection lighting or any other comparable system capable of
reducing the impact of facility obstruction lighting while
maintaining conspicuity sufficient to assist aircraft in identifying
and avoiding collision with a wind energy facility.”
Jech’s bill would also require that no new wind energy facility may commence operations in this state unless the developer, owner, or operator of the facility applies to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for installation of a light-mitigating
technology system that complies with FAA regulations.
SB618 by Sen. Mary Boren of Norman would force public utilities to create an alert and warning system to coordinate communications with county and municipal governments and alert them about potential outages, requests for usage
reduction during time periods of high demand, and any other
communications deemed necessary to maintain a stable and secure electric grid.
Sen. Boren’s SB612 would require public utilities to develop energy security plans to 1. Identify, assess, and develop preparations for responding to and recovering from events that disrupt energy supply; and
2. Include measures to notify the public of potential energy
disruptions and methods the public may adopt to reduce the
likelihood of realized disruptions.
Sen. Dave Rader of Tulsa filed a bill targeting carbon sequestration wells. SB269 would put the Corporation Commission in “exclusive jurisdiction, power and authority” of CO2 wells.
“f. injection wells known as Class II wells under the federal Underground Injection Control Program program, and any aspect of any CO2 sequestration facility, including any associated Class VI CO2 injection well, and any CO2 storage unit associated with a CO2 sequestration facility, over which the Commission is
given jurisdiction pursuant to the Oklahoma Carbon Capture and Geologic Sequestration Act. Any substance that the United States Environmental Protection Agency allows to be injected into a Class II.
A Corporation Commission study of nuclear energy in the state would be required under SB130 filed by Sen. George Burns of Pollard. His bill would require state regulators to begin within 30 days of the adoption of the Act to hire an outside consulting firm to conduct a technical and legal feasibility study on nuclear energy generation in the state.