HB 1612 Summary

• Requires the Public Utilities Commission to develop and adopt reliability standards and interconnection requirements to facilitate timely interconnection of utility-scale renewable energy projects of 5 megawatts or larger.

• Mandates electric utilities complete interconnection design, reach agreement with renewable energy developers, and file for interconnection approval within 270 days of a power purchase agreement filing, with interim status reports required at 90 and 180 days.

• Requires the commission to approve or disapprove interconnection requests within 120 days of filing.

• Imposes financial penalties on utilities that fail to meet the 270-day deadline by requiring forfeiture of performance incentive mechanism funds and awards related to the renewable energy project.

• Requires the commission to report to the governor and legislature within 30 days of any utility failure to meet interconnection timing requirements.