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THE SENATE |
S.B. NO. |
2438 |
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TWENTY-SIXTH LEGISLATURE, 2012 |
S.D. 1 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
RELATING TO THE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. Section 269-6, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:
"§269-6 General powers and duties. (a) The public utilities commission shall have the general supervision hereinafter set forth over all public utilities, and shall perform the duties and exercise the powers imposed or conferred upon it by this chapter. Included among the general powers of the commission is the authority to adopt rules pursuant to chapter 91 necessary for the purposes of this chapter.
(b) The public utilities commission shall consider the need to reduce the State's reliance on fossil fuels through energy efficiency and increased renewable energy generation in exercising its authority and duties under this chapter. In making determinations of the reasonableness of the costs of utility system capital improvements and operations, the commission shall explicitly consider, quantitatively or qualitatively, the effect of the State's reliance on fossil fuels on price volatility, export of funds for fuel imports, fuel supply reliability risk, and greenhouse gas emissions. The commission may determine that short-term costs or direct costs that are higher than alternatives relying more heavily on fossil fuels are reasonable, considering the impacts resulting from the use of fossil fuels.
(c) The public utilities commission, in making its final determination on renewable energy projects, may take into consideration the economic impact of such projects, balancing costs to consumers, job creation, capital attraction, increased revenues, and other critical indicators; provided that the department of business, economic development, and tourism shall first provide the commission with the appropriate analysis for consideration.
[(c)] (d) The chairperson of the
public utilities commission may appoint a hearings officer, who shall
not be subject to chapter 76, to hear and recommend decisions in any proceeding
before it other than a proceeding involving the rates or any other matters
covered in the tariffs filed by the public utilities. The hearings officer
shall have the power to take testimony, make findings of fact and conclusions
of law, and recommend a decision; provided that the findings of fact, the
conclusions of law, and the recommended decision shall be reviewed and may be
approved by the commission after notice to the parties and an opportunity to be
heard. The hearings officer shall have all of the above powers conferred upon
the public utilities commission under section 269-10."
SECTION 2. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.
SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.
Report Title:
Public Utilities Commission; Economic Analysis; Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism
Description:
Permits the public utilities commission to take certain economic considerations into account when making final determinations on renewable energy projects. Requires the department of business, economic development, and tourism to provide the public utilities commission with economic analysis information. (SD1)
The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.