For the purposes of this section, "small transmission project" means any proposed new or upgraded transmission line, substation component or associated infrastructure capable of operating at less than 69 kilovolts and projected to cost $5,000,000 or less. For the purposes of this section, a "distribution project" means any proposed new or upgraded distribution line, substation component or associated infrastructure capable of operating at less than 34 kilovolts.
1.Planning study.
Each investor-owned transmission and distribution utility in this State shall annually complete and submit to the Office of the Public Advocate, for review by the nonwires alternative coordinator, a planning study for small transmission projects and distribution projects. In completing the planning study, an inve
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For the purposes of this section, "small transmission project" means any proposed new or upgraded transmission line, substation component or associated infrastructure capable of operating at less than 69 kilovolts and projected to cost $5,000,000 or less. For the purposes of this section, a "distribution project" means any proposed new or upgraded distribution line, substation component or associated infrastructure capable of operating at less than 34 kilovolts.
1.
Planning study.
Each investor-owned transmission and distribution utility in this State shall annually complete and submit to the Office of the Public Advocate, for review by the nonwires alternative coordinator, a planning study for small transmission projects and distribution projects. In completing the planning study, an investor-owned transmission and distribution utility shall develop and use system planning models. The study must:
2.
Nonwires alternatives investigation.
Except as provided in subsection 3, for a proposed project presented in a planning study under subsection 1, the nonwires alternative coordinator:
3.
Excluded projects; criteria.
The commission, by rule, shall develop criteria to exclude from investigation by the nonwires alternative coordinator small transmission projects and distribution projects best suited to transmission and distribution investments, including but not limited to projects that are:
4.
Nonwires alternatives recommendations.
Based on the investigation under subsection 2, the nonwires alternative coordinator shall make recommendations to the investor-owned transmission and distribution utility regarding nonwires alternatives to proposed small transmission projects and distribution projects. The nonwires alternative coordinator and the utility shall attempt to reach a good faith agreement regarding the adoption of nonwires alternatives that are most cost-effective. If agreement is reached, the utility shall pursue the agreed-upon nonwires alternatives. If there is no agreement, the utility or the Office of the Public Advocate may petition the commission to resolve the dispute.
5.
Dispute resolution.
In responding to a petition by an investor-owned transmission and distribution utility or the Office of the Public Advocate pursuant to subsection 4, the commission shall review the planning study prepared under subsection 1 and the recommendations of the nonwires alternative coordinator under subsection 4. In resolving the dispute, the commission shall give preference to nonwires alternatives that are identified as able to address the identified need for the proposed small transmission project or distribution project and are most cost-effective. Of the identified nonwires alternatives, the commission shall give preference to the lowest-cost nonwires alternatives. When the costs to ratepayers in this State of the identified nonwires alternatives are reasonably equal, the commission shall give preference to the nonwires alternatives that produce the lowest amount of local air emissions, including greenhouse gas emissions.