HB18-1270: Energy Storage Procurement Act

• The Public Utilities Commission must establish rules by February 1, 2019, creating mechanisms for investor-owned electric utilities to procure energy storage systems as part of their planning processes.

• Energy storage systems are defined as commercially available technology capable of retaining, storing, and delivering energy through chemical, thermal, mechanical, or other means.

• The Commission must adopt rules ensuring procurement provides systemic benefits including increased grid integration, improved reliability, reduced peak demand generation, and avoided or deferred utility investments.

• Electric utilities must provide data and analysis on potential storage acquisitions to the Commission and approved third parties, with information treated as confidential under applicable laws regarding customer data.

• By May 1, 2019, electric utilities may file applications for rate-based energy storage projects not exceeding 15 megawatts of capacity.