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SF0042 • 2024

Low-carbon reliable energy standards-amendments.

AN ACT relating to public utilities; amending requirements and deadlines for low-carbon energy generation standards; amending reporting requirements for meeting the low-carbon energy standards; amending rate recovery mechanisms associated with low-carbon energy standards; requiring rulemaking; and providing for an effective date.

Energy Land Technology
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Minerals
Last action
2024-03-15
Official status
enrolled
Effective date
3/15/2024

Plain English Breakdown

The official summary and bill text do not provide detailed information about the transition from current to new low-carbon requirements.

Low-carbon Energy Standards Amendments

This law changes requirements and deadlines for public utilities to generate low-carbon electricity, updates reporting rules, limits rate recovery mechanisms, and requires rulemaking by the Public Service Commission.

What This Bill Does

  • Amends the definition of 'low-carbon' to require less carbon dioxide emissions per megawatt hour of generated electricity.
  • Extends the deadline for utilities serving over 10,000 customers to meet low-carbon standards from 2030 to 2033.
  • Requires public utilities to file annual reports with the Public Service Commission starting July 1, 2024, detailing steps taken to determine carbon dioxide markets and achieve low-carbon generation goals.
  • Establishes baseline reliability standards for power in Wyoming by December 15, 2024.
  • Limits rate recovery mechanisms for utilities after they are authorized to collect costs through base rates or other approved methods.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Public utilities serving more than 10,000 electric customers in Wyoming
  • The Public Service Commission

Terms To Know

Low-carbon electricity
Electricity generated using technology that captures and stores carbon dioxide emissions.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how utilities will transition from current standards to the new low-carbon requirements.
  • It is unclear what happens if a utility fails to comply with reporting and reliability standards by the set deadlines.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

SF0042H3001

3rd reading • Representative Yin

Failed

Plain English: The amendment adds hydroelectric and nuclear power to the list of low-carbon energy sources that utilities can use to meet their standards.

  • Adds hydroelectric and nuclear generated electricity as eligible types of low-carbon energy for meeting generation standards.
  • Modifies reporting requirements by including hydroelectric and nuclear units in the report.
  • The amendment text does not provide details on how these changes will be implemented or enforced, leaving some aspects unclear.
SF0042HW001

Committee of the Whole • Representative Tarver

Withdrawn

Plain English: The amendment changes the deadline for low-carbon energy generation standards from 2033 to 2038.

  • Changes the year 2033 to 2038 in the bill's requirements and deadlines for low-carbon energy generation standards.
SF0042HS001

Standing Committee • House Minerals, Business and Economic Development

Adopted

Plain English: The amendment removes specific phrases and sections related to carbon dioxide customers, annual reporting requirements for low-carbon energy standards, and certain operational conditions of utilities.

  • Removes the phrase 'carbon or' from a section about low-carbon energy generation standards.
  • Eliminates an entire paragraph detailing annual report requirements under the low-carbon energy standards.
  • Deletes references to carbon dioxide customers in reporting and operational contexts.
  • Modifies language regarding utility cost recovery, specifying that costs can be collected through base rates or other mechanisms approved by a commission.
  • The amendment text does not provide full context for the changes made, which may limit understanding of their broader implications.
SF0042S2001

2nd reading • Senator Ellis

Adopted

Plain English: The amendment adds a new rule that prevents a public utility from recovering additional rates after it starts using carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) technology.

  • Adds a restriction on rate recovery by the commission for CCUS technology once the public utility has started operating this technology.
  • The amendment does not specify what happens if the utility stops using CCUS technology or how it affects existing rate recovery processes before the start of CCUS operations.
SF0042S2002

2nd reading • Senator Ellis

Adopted

Plain English: The amendment removes a specific section of text and changes a punctuation mark in an existing bill.

  • Removes the Senate standing committee amendment (SF0042SS001/A) from page 2, lines 15 through 20.
  • Changes a colon to a period on page 2, line 13.
  • The exact content of the removed Senate standing committee amendment is not provided in the official text and cannot be described further.
SF0042S2003

2nd reading • Senator Scott

Adopted

Plain English: The amendment adds requirements for public utilities to report on their efforts to determine the market demand for carbon or carbon dioxide from electricity generation and sets consequences if these efforts are found inadequate.

  • Public utilities must now include in their annual reports information about potential customers' needs, willingness to pay for carbon dioxide, oil, and gas, and any available sequestration subsidies.
  • The amendment also states that the commission can append relevant comments from potential carbon dioxide customers to these reports.
  • If a public utility's efforts to determine the market demand for carbon dioxide are deemed inadequate by the commission, the utility will not be allowed to recover costs through rates.
  • The amendment does not specify how the adequacy of utilities' efforts is determined or what specific criteria the commission uses to make this judgment.
SF0042SW001

Committee of the Whole • Senator Ellis

Adopted

Plain English: The amendment changes the wording in the original bill and adds new requirements related to ensuring reliable power supply in Wyoming.

  • Adds a specific deadline for reporting on reliability standards by December 15, 2024.
  • Includes language that requires ensuring adequate dispatchable power in Wyoming when setting low-carbon energy generation standards.
  • Removes certain new language related to reporting requirements.
  • Changes the effective date of the act from multiple dates to a single date and specifies it takes effect immediately upon completion of all necessary steps for a bill to become law.
  • The exact nature of the removed language on page 4 lines 22-23 is not specified, so its content cannot be described.
  • Some technical details about rulemaking and rate recovery mechanisms are referenced but not fully explained in this amendment text.
SF0042SW002

Committee of the Whole • Senator Steinmetz

Withdrawn

Plain English: The amendment changes the original bill by removing certain sections, adding requirements for refunding recovered rates to customers, and adjusting section numbering.

  • Removes specific sections of the bill related to low-carbon energy standards.
  • Adds a new requirement for public utilities to reimburse customers for previously collected rates if those funds were not used for carbon capture technology.
  • Adjusts the wording and numbering of certain sections in the bill.
  • The amendment text does not provide details on how refunds will be calculated or distributed, leaving some aspects unclear.
SF0042JC001

Conference Committee

S Adopted, H Adopted

Plain English: The amendment removes specific phrases and sections related to carbon dioxide from a bill about low-carbon energy generation standards.

  • Removed references to 'carbon or' in several places on page 4 of the bill.
  • Deleted language mentioning potential carbon dioxide customers and breakeven points.
  • Replaced text that was about commencing operations with new wording allowing utilities to collect costs through base rates or other approved mechanisms.
  • The exact impact on low-carbon energy standards is not fully explained by the amendment text alone.
SF0042SS001

Standing Committee • Senate Minerals, Business and Economic Development

Adopted

Plain English: This amendment modifies specific sections of the bill related to low-carbon energy generation standards by deleting certain words and lines.

  • Removes the phrase ', (d)' after '(c)(iii)' in the first page.
  • Changes '25' to '26' on the second page.
  • Replaces '2038' with '2033' on the third page.
  • Deletes new language added between lines 18 and 23 of the fifth page.
  • The amendment text does not provide context for these changes, making it hard to understand their full implications without reviewing the original bill sections.

Bill History

  1. 2024-03-15 LSO

    Assigned Chapter Number 75

  2. 2024-03-15 Governor

    Governor Signed SEA No. 0069

  3. 2024-03-08 House

    H Speaker Signed SEA No. 0069

  4. 2024-03-08 Senate

    S President Signed SEA No. 0069

  5. 2024-03-08 LSO

    Assigned Number SEA No. 0069

  6. 2024-03-07 House

    H Appointed JCC01 Members

  7. 2024-03-07 Senate

    S Appointed JCC01 Members

  8. 2024-03-07 Senate

    S Concur:Failed 13-16-1-0-1

  9. 2024-03-07 Senate

    S Received for Concurrence

  10. 2024-03-06 House

    H 3rd Reading:Passed 39-23-0-0-0

  11. 2024-03-05 House

    H 2nd Reading:Passed

  12. 2024-03-04 House

    H COW:Passed

  13. 2024-03-01 House

    H Placed on General File

  14. 2024-03-01 House

    H09 - Minerals:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 7-2-0-0-0

  15. 2024-02-28 House

    H Introduced and Referred to H09 - Minerals

  16. 2024-02-28 House

    H Received for Introduction

  17. 2024-02-27 Senate

    S 3rd Reading:Passed 20-10-0-0-1

  18. 2024-02-26 Senate

    S 2nd Reading:Passed

  19. 2024-02-23 Senate

    S COW:Passed

  20. 2024-02-20 Senate

    S Placed on General File

  21. 2024-02-20 Senate

    S02 - Appropriations:Recommend Do Pass 5-0-0-0-0

  22. 2024-02-19 Senate

    :Rerefer to S02 - Appropriations

  23. 2024-02-19 Senate

    S09 - Minerals:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 5-0-0-0-0

  24. 2024-02-12 Senate

    S Introduced and Referred to S09 - Minerals 23-8-0-0-0

  25. 2024-01-24 Senate

    S Received for Introduction

  26. 2024-01-09 LSO

    Bill Number Assigned

Official Summary Text

Bill Summary - 24LSO-0181

Bill No.:

SF0042

Effective:

Immediately

LSO No.:

24LSO-0181

Enrolled Act No.:

SEA No. 0069

Chapter No.:

75

Prime Sponsor:

Joint Minerals, Business & Economic Development Interim Committee

Catch Title:

Low-carbon reliable energy standards-amendments.

Has Report:

Yes

Subject:

Amending requirements and deadlines for low-carbon generation standards.

Summary/Major Elements:

In 2020, the Legislature established low-carbon electricity generation standards that public utilities must begin to meet and, by 2030, must meet. These standards require a certain percentage of electricity that is generated to be low-carbon, reliable and dispatchable.

The act amends the definition of "low-carbon" and the low-carbon requirements to apply to public utilities that serve more than ten thousand (10,000) Wyoming electric customers and specifies that the low-carbon standards must be met through dispatchable and reliable low-carbon electricity from an existing coal-fired generation unit or an equivalent new coal-fueled generation unit.

The deadline for utilities to comply with the low-carbon standards is extended from 2030 to 2033.

The act requires the Public Service Commission to promulgate rules that require each public utility to, beginning July 1, 2024, file an annual report with the Commission outlining the steps the utility is taking to determine the market for carbon dioxide from electricity generation and to achieve the low-carbon generation standard.

The act also requires the Commission to, not later than December 15, 2024, establish baseline standards to ensure adequate, reliable and dispatchable power in Wyoming.

Current law authorizes a public utility to collect a rate recovery for the costs incurred in complying with low-carbon standards up to two percent (2%) of a customer’s bill. This act prohibits rate recovery under this provision after the public utility has been authorized by the Commission to collect these costs through base rates or another recovery mechanism.

The act clarifies that the annual report the Commission must submit to the Legislature is required to go to the Joint Minerals, Business, and Economic Development Interim Committee and the Joint Corporations, Elections, and Political Subdivisions Interim Committee.

This act requires the Public Service Commission to promulgate rules to implement the act; the Commission must also amend deadlines for public utilities to submit final plans in light of the changes to deadlines in the act.
The above summary is not an official publication of the Wyoming Legislature and is not an official statement of legislative intent.

While the Legislative Service Office endeavored to provide accurate information in this summary, it should not be relied upon as a comprehensive abstract of the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
24LSO-0181

ORIGINAL Senate

ENGROSSED
File No
.
SF0042

ENROLLED ACT NO. 69,

SENATE

SIXTY-SEVENTH LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WYOMING
2024 Budget Session

AN ACT relating to public utilities; amending requirements and deadlines for low-carbon energy generation standards; amending reporting requirements for meeting the low-carbon energy standards; amending rate recovery mechanisms associated with low-carbon energy standards; requiring rulemaking; and providing for an effective date.

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:

Section 1
.

W.S. 37
‑
18
‑
101(a)(iii) and 37
‑
18
‑
102(a)(i) through (iv), (v)(A), (c)(iii) and (e) are amended to read:

37
‑
18
‑
101.

Definitions.

(a)

As used in this article:

(iii)

"Low
‑
carbon" means electricity that is generated while using carbon capture, utilization and storage technology that
produces carbon emissions
captures
not
greater
less
than
six hundred fifty (650) pounds
eighteen thousand seven hundred fifty (18,750) metric tons
of carbon dioxide
per megawatt hour of generated electricity averaged over
during
one (1) calendar year
and that has a capture design capacity of not less than seventy
‑
five percent (75%) of the baseline carbon dioxide production of the generation unit as specified in 26 U.S.C. § 45Q(e)(2).

37
‑
18
‑
102.

Energy generation portfolio standards; reporting requirements; rate recovery and limitations.

(a)

Consistent with the objective of ensuring Wyoming electric utilities maintain access to reliable and cost effective electric generation resources, the public service commission shall establish by rule energy portfolio standards that will maximize the use of dispatchable and reliable low
‑
carbon electricity. In establishing standards, the commission:

(i)

Shall require a public utility
serving more than ten thousand (10,000) Wyoming electric customers
to generate a specified percentage of electricity
generated to be
that is
dispatchable and reliable low
‑
carbon electricity
from an existing coal
‑
fired generation unit or an equivalent new coal
‑
fueled generation unit
;

(ii)

Shall establish a date not later than July 1,
2030
2033
for requiring a percentage of electricity generated by a public utility to be dispatchable and reliable low
‑
carbon electricity taking into consideration any potentially expiring federal tax credits;

(iii)

Shall establish intermediate
standards and
requirements for dispatchable and reliable low
‑
carbon electricity that public utilities must generate before the electricity generation standard established in paragraphs (i) and (ii) of this subsection;

(iv)

Beginning July 1, 2024, s
hall require each public utility
to demonstrate in each integrated resource plan submitted
to
file with
the commission
an annual report outlining
the steps
in the past calendar year
the public utility
is taking
has taken to determine the market for carbon dioxide from the electricity generation and
to achieve the electricity generation standard established in paragraphs (i) through (iii) of this subsection
. In the annual report required under this paragraph, each public utility shall, for purposes of determining the market for carbon dioxide from electricity generation, report the potential customers the public utility has contacted and any information or estimates the customers are willing to make public on the quantities of carbon dioxide they may need
;

(v)

Shall for each public utility:

(A)

Not later than December 15, 2024,
establish baseline standards for electric reliability to
ensure adequate reliable dispatchable power in Wyoming. The standards established under this subparagraph may include limits on outages and shall
ensure that new or expanded intermittent generation resources do not unreasonably diminish power quality or increase momentary outages across a utility's service territory or in any particular location;

(c)

Subject to W.S. 37
‑
3
‑
117(a) and the limitation in subsection (b) of this section, the commission shall consider the following when establishing reasonable rates for a public utility working toward and achieving the electricity generation standards established under subsection (a) of this section:

(iii)

To the extent a public utility can demonstrate that it will incur incremental costs to comply with the reliable and dispatchable low
‑
carbon energy standard, the commission shall authorize the public utility to implement a rate recovery mechanism that collects a surcharge from customers not to exceed two percent (2%) of each customer's total electric bill to provide for the recovery of the prudently incurred incremental costs to comply with the reliable and dispatchable low
‑
carbon energy standard. A rate recovery mechanism may be authorized and established prior to the public utility incurring incremental costs to comply with the reliable and dispatchable low
‑
carbon energy standard and the public utility may retain funds collected through a mechanism in a regulatory account approved by the commission to offset future costs. To the extent the rate recovery mechanism is insufficient to compensate the public utility for its prudently incurred incremental costs to comply with the reliable and dispatchable low
‑
carbon energy standard, the commission shall take such actions as necessary
notwithstanding any other provision of this section
to ensure the public utility is able to recover its prudently incurred incremental costs and customers are not charged for those incremental costs other than through the rate recovery mechanism
specified in this subsection
.
No rate recovery shall be allowed by the commission under this paragraph after the public utility has been authorized by the commission to collect these costs through the utility's base rates or another recovery mechanism approved by the commission.

(e)

Beginning in 2023, and occurring every second year thereafter, the commission shall report to the
legislature
joint minerals, business and economic development interim committee and the joint corporations, elections and political subdivisions interim committee
regarding implementation of the electricity portfolio standards and recommend whether it should be continued, modified or repealed. To the extent the electricity portfolio standards are modified or discontinued, nothing shall impair the ability of a public utility that has incurred costs to comply with the electricity portfolio standards to recover its prudently incurred costs as authorized by the commission.

Section 2
.

The public service commission shall promulgate all rules necessary to implement this act. As part of this rulemaking process, the public service commission shall amend deadlines for public utilities to submit final plans for achieving low
‑
carbon energy production standards to the commission to account for the extension of deadlines provided by section 1 of this act.

Section 3.

This act is effective immediately upon completion of all acts necessary for a bill to become law as provided by Article 4, Section 8 of the Wyoming Constitution.

(END)

Speaker of the House

President of the Senate

Governor

TIME APPROVED: _________

DATE APPROVED: _________

I hereby certify that this act originated in the Senate.

Chief Clerk

1