STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1440-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: S.B. No. 2474

S.D. 2

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred S.B. No. 2474, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO RENEWABLE ENERGY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require the Public Utilities Commission to establish reliability standards and interconnection requirements for renewable energy projects and community-based renewable energy projects.

Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from Hawaiian Electric Company and one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Public Utilities Commission, and Hawaii Clean Power Alliance.

Your Committee finds that delays in completing the process of interconnecting renewable energy projects to the electric grid make it difficult to plan for the design and construction of utility-scale renewable energy projects. By requiring the Public Utilities Commission to adopt reliability standards and interconnection requirements, this measure will facilitate more timely interconnection and operation of utility-scale renewable energy projects.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2474, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce,

____________________________

AARON LING JOHANSON, Chair