HF7 Summary

• Increases renewable energy standards for electric utilities to 25% by 2025 and 55% by 2035, with a new carbon-free standard requiring 80% carbon-free electricity by 2030 for public utilities and 100% by 2040 for all utilities.

• Allows utilities to recover costs from ratepayers for employing local workers to construct and maintain generation facilities, with cost recovery extending over the contract duration or useful life of investments.

• Exempts large wind energy conversion systems from certificate of need proceedings if selected through a commission-approved bidding process or if the system represents solar or wind capacity ordered in an approved integrated resource plan.

• Expands the definition of "solar energy generating system" to include low-voltage transmission lines (100 kilovolts or less) that interconnect solar systems with high-voltage transmission lines.

• Requires utilities to report on local job creation, workforce diversity, impacts on environmental justice areas, and worker transition support, with the commission giving preference to proposals that maximize local construction employment opportunities.