CO HB1278

HB 26-1278: Local Government Approval of Transmission Infrastructure

• Investor-owned electric utilities must obtain all local government land use permits and approvals before initiating condemnation proceedings for high-voltage transmission infrastructure exceeding 100 kilovolts

• A certificate of public convenience and necessity from the Public Utilities Commission no longer automatically confers eminent domain authority; local government approval becomes a prerequisite

• For projects spanning multiple local jurisdictions, utilities must secure permits from each specific local government before condemning property within that jurisdiction

• Existing PUC and local government application review processes and timelines remain unchanged

• Effective date is January 1, 2027, applying to condemnation proceedings initiated on or after that date