AN ACT CONCERNING FIRES AND EXPLOSIONS THAT OCCUR AT SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC FACILITIES.

Energy

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Public Safety and Security Committee
Last action: 2026-04-15
Official status: Tabled for the Calendar, House
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not provide information on enforcement mechanisms or consequences of non-compliance.

Rules for Reporting and Preventing Fires at Solar Facilities

This act requires local fire marshals to report fires or explosions at solar facilities to the Connecticut Siting Council, which must then determine if equipment contributed to these incidents and take action to prevent future risks.

What This Bill Does

Requires local fire marshals to send reports about fires or explosions at solar photovoltaic facilities to both the State Fire Marshal and the Connecticut Siting Council.
Directs the council to work with local fire marshals to determine if equipment at a solar facility was involved in causing a fire or explosion, and initiate an amendment proceeding if necessary.
Allows the council to start a process to require owners of affected solar facilities to create a plan that reduces fire risks.
Gives the council authority to check for similar situations across other solar facilities and apply the same risk reduction plans.

Who It Names or Affects

Local fire marshals who must report incidents at solar facilities.
Owners of solar photovoltaic facilities who may need to create or follow a fire mitigation plan.
The Connecticut Siting Council which will review reports and take action if necessary.

Terms To Know

solar photovoltaic facility: A place where solar panels are used to generate electricity.
Connecticut Siting Council: An organization that oversees the placement and operation of certain facilities in Connecticut, including solar power plants.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify what happens if an owner refuses to follow a fire mitigation plan.
It is unclear how many similar situations might be found across other solar facilities.
There are no details on the penalties for non-compliance with this act.

Bill History

2026-04-15 Connecticut General Assembly
No New File by Committee on Appropriations
2026-04-15 Connecticut General Assembly
Tabled for the Calendar, House
2026-04-14 LCO
Filed with Legislative Commissioners' Office
2026-04-14 LCO
Reported Out of Legislative Commissioners' Office
2026-04-13 APP
Joint Favorable
2026-04-07 Connecticut General Assembly
Referred by House to Committee on Appropriations
2026-03-30 LCO
Reported Out of Legislative Commissioners' Office
2026-03-30 Connecticut General Assembly
Favorable Report, Tabled for the Calendar, House
2026-03-30 Connecticut General Assembly
House Calendar Number 209
2026-03-30 LCO
File Number 253
2026-03-23 LCO
Referred to Office of Legislative Research and Office of Fiscal Analysis 03/30/26 12:00 PM
2026-03-17 PS
Joint Favorable
2026-03-17 LCO
Filed with Legislative Commissioners' Office
2026-03-05 Connecticut General Assembly
Public Hearing 03/12
2026-03-04 Connecticut General Assembly
Referred to Joint Committee on Public Safety and Security

Official Summary Text

To (1) require the local fire marshal to furnish certain reports to the Connecticut Siting Council for any fires or explosions that occur at a solar photovoltaic facility, (2) require said council to determine whether any solar photovoltaic facility equipment was a contributing factor to any such fires or explosions and, if so, to initiate an amendment proceeding to require the owner to adopt a solar photovoltaic facility fire mitigation plan, (3) require the council to determine if there are any similarly situated facilities, and (4) authorize the council to initiate amendment proceedings to require the owners of similarly situated facilities to adopt the same solar photovoltaic facility fire mitigation plan.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

LCO 1 of 3

General Assembly Substitute Bill No. 5457
February Session, 2026

AN ACT CONCERNING FIRES AND EXPLOSIONS THAT OCCUR AT
SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC FACILITIES.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:

Section 1. Section 29 -303 of the general statutes is repealed and the 1
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2026): 2
(a) The fire chief or local fire marshal with jurisdiction over a town, 3
city, borough or fire district where a fire, explosion or other fire 4
emergency occurs shall furnish the State Fire Marshal a report that shall 5
include (1) all the facts relating to its cause, its origin, the kind, the 6
estimated value and ownership of the property damaged or destroyed, 7
and (2) such other information as called for by the State Fire Marshal on 8
forms furnished by the State Fire Marshal, or in an electronic format 9
prescribed by the State Fire Marshal. The fire chief or fire marshal may 10
also submit reports regarding other significant fire department response 11
to such fire or explosion, and such reports may be filed monthly but 12
commencing January 1, 2008, such reports shall be filed not less than 13
quarterly. 14
(b) For any fire or explosion that occurs at a facility, as defined in 15
subdivision (3) of subsection (a) of section 16 -50i, that is a solar 16
photovoltaic facility, the local fire marshal shall also furnish the report 17
described in subsection (a) of this section to the Connecticut Siting 18
Council established under section 16-50j. 19
Substitute Bill No. 5457

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Sec. 2. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2026) (a) Not later than thirty days 20
after the Connecticut Siting Council receives a report regarding a fire or 21
explosion that occurred at a facility that is a solar photovoltaic facility, 22
furnished pursuant to subsection (b) of section 29 -303 of the general 23
statutes, as amended by this act, the council shall, in conjunction with 24
the local fire marshal who furnished the report, determine whether any 25
solar photovoltaic facility equipment at the facility was a contributing 26
factor to the fire or explosion. Notwithstanding any provision of chapter 27
277a of the general statutes, if the council determines, in conjunction 28
with the local fire marshal, that such equipment was such a factor, the 29
council shall initiate an amendment proceeding to amend the certificate 30
issued to the owner of the facility pursuant to said chapter. The purpose 31
of such amendment proceeding shall be to require the owner to adopt a 32
solar photovoltaic facility fire mitigation plan. Any such mitigation plan 33
adopted in accordance with this section shall include, but not be limited 34
to, an explicit description of the best management practices the owner 35
will employ , informed by the latest science at the time the plan is 36
formed, that will avoid, minimize and mitigate any fire or explosion 37
risks relating to solar photovoltaic facilities. For purposes of this section, 38
"facility" has the same meaning as provided in subdivision (3) of 39
subsection (a) of section 16-50i of the general statutes. 40
(b) Not later than one hundred eighty days after the conclusion of an 41
amendment proceeding that was initiated under subsection (a) of this 42
section and that resulted in the adoption of a solar photovoltaic facility 43
fire mitigation plan, the council shall determine if there are any facilities 44
in the state that are similarly situated to the facility that was the subject 45
of such order. If the council determines that there are any such similarly 46
situated facilities, the council may, notwithstanding any provision of 47
chapter 277a of the general statutes, initiate an amendment proceeding 48
to amend the certificate issued to any owner of a similarly situated 49
facility pursuant to said chapter. The purpose of such amendment 50
proceeding shall be to require such owner to adopt the same solar 51
photovoltaic facility fire mitigation plan as the mitigation plan adopted 52
in accordance with subsection (a) of this section. 53
Substitute Bill No. 5457

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This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:

Section 1 October 1, 2026 29-303
Sec. 2 October 1, 2026 New section

PS Joint Favorable Subst. -LCO
APP Joint Favorable