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SF0102 • 2026

Wyoming energy transmission study.

AN ACT relating to the Wyoming energy authority; requiring the completion of a transmission study; specifying requirements of the study; requiring reports; and providing for an effective date.

Enacted

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

Sponsor
Senator Boner
Last action
2026-03-06
Official status
enrolled
Effective date
3/6/2026

Plain English Breakdown

The specific details of the load growth scenarios are not defined in this bill, leaving some uncertainty about their exact nature.

Wyoming Energy Transmission Study Act

This law requires the Wyoming Energy Authority to complete a study on energy transmission, including two phases of analysis and reporting.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires the Wyoming Energy Authority to conduct a two-phase study on energy transmission in Wyoming.
  • Phase one involves analyzing three load growth scenarios and considering advanced technologies for expanding transmission capacity.
  • Phase two requires developing a summary of public utilities' participation in regional transmission organizations.
  • The authority must report findings to specific legislative committees by certain dates.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Wyoming Energy Authority
  • Public service commission, office of consumer advocate, rural electric cooperatives, investor-owned and municipal utilities

Terms To Know

load growth scenarios
Different levels of energy demand in the future: low growth, moderate growth, high demand.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The specific details of the load growth scenarios are not defined in this bill.
  • The impact on individual utilities or consumers is not detailed.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-06 LSO

    Assigned Chapter Number 58

  2. 2026-03-06 Governor

    Governor Signed SEA No. 0050

  3. 2026-03-05 House

    H Speaker Signed SEA No. 0050

  4. 2026-03-05 Senate

    S President Signed SEA No. 0050

  5. 2026-03-04 LSO

    Assigned Number SEA No. 0050

  6. 2026-03-04 House

    H 3rd Reading:Passed 58-2-2-0-0

  7. 2026-03-03 House

    H 2nd Reading:Passed

  8. 2026-03-02 House

    H COW:Passed

  9. 2026-02-27 House

    H Placed on General File

  10. 2026-02-27 House

    H09 - Minerals:Recommend Do Pass 9-0-0-0-0

  11. 2026-02-25 House

    H Introduced and Referred to H09 - Minerals

  12. 2026-02-25 House

    H Received for Introduction

  13. 2026-02-24 Senate

    S 3rd Reading:Passed 31-0-0-0-0

  14. 2026-02-23 Senate

    S 2nd Reading:Passed

  15. 2026-02-20 Senate

    S COW:Passed

  16. 2026-02-18 Senate

    S Placed on General File

  17. 2026-02-18 Senate

    S07 - Corporations:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 5-0-0-0-0

  18. 2026-02-12 Senate

    S Introduced and Referred to S07 - Corporations 29-2-0-0-0

  19. 2026-02-11 Senate

    S Received for Introduction

  20. 2026-02-10 LSO

    Bill Number Assigned

Official Summary Text

Bill Summary - 26LSO-0322

Bill No.:

SF0102

Effective:

Immediately

LSO No.:

26LSO-0322

Enrolled Act No.:

SEA No. 0050

Chapter No.:

58

Prime Sponsor:

Boner

Catch Title:

Wyoming energy transmission study.

Has Report:

Yes

Subject:

Requiring the Energy Authority to study energy transmission in Wyoming.

Summary/Major Elements:

This act requires the Wyoming Energy Authority to complete a transmission planning study concerning Wyoming's transmission system and the potential growth of that system.

The act requires the Energy Authority to complete the study in two (2) phases. Phase one (1) must analyze the impacts of three potential load-growth scenarios on Wyoming's current system, including a model of Wyoming's transmission needs and the consideration of advanced transmission technologies and electricity storage to meet the need for expanded transmission.

Phase two (2) requires the Energy Authority to develop a qualitative summary of Wyoming public utilities' participation, if any, in regional transmission organizations.

The act requires the Wyoming Energy Authority to report twice to the Joint Corporations, Elections, and Political Subdivisions Interim Committee and the Joint Minerals, Business, and Economic Development Interim Committee on the results of each phase of the study.

The act requires the Energy Authority to establish an advisory working group to provide input on the required study. The working group must be comprised of, at a minimum, the Public Service Commission, the Office of Consumer Advocate, and representatives from investor-owned public utilities, municipal utilities, and rural electric cooperatives.

Comments:

This act is effective immediately.

This act requires two (2) reports from the Wyoming Energy Authority to the Joint Corporations, Elections, and Political Subdivisions Interim Committee and the Joint Minerals, Business, and Economic Development Interim Committee. The first report (for phase one (1) of the study) is due by November 1, 2027; the second report (for phase two) is due by September 1, 2028.
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
26LSO-0322

ORIGINAL Senate

File No
.
SF0102

ENROLLED ACT NO. 50,

SENATE

SIXTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WYOMING
2026 Budget Session

AN ACT relating to the Wyoming energy authority; requiring the completion of a transmission study; specifying requirements of the study; requiring reports; and providing for an effective date.

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

Section 1
.

(a)

The Wyoming energy authority shall complete a transmission planning study in accordance with all of the following:

(i)

The study shall be completed in two (2) phases, in accordance with this subsection;

(ii)

Phase one (1) of the study shall, at a minimum, be an analysis of the impacts of three (3) potential load growth scenarios on Wyoming's current transmission system and shall include all of the following:

(A)

A model of Wyoming's transmission needs with an assessment of the three (3) potential load growth scenarios identified in subparagraph (C) of this paragraph to identify potential deliverability and congestion constraints;

(B)

Consideration of advanced transmission technologies and electricity storage to meet the need for expanded transmission capacity in Wyoming from 2026 to 2046 under each of the three (3) potential load growth scenarios identified in subparagraph (C) of this paragraph;

(C)

The consideration of three (3) load growth scenarios in completing this phase of the study, which are:

(I)

Low growth;

(II)

Moderate growth;

(III)

High demand.

(D)

A gap analysis identifying transmission needs to meet various load growth scenarios, including those identified in subparagraph (C) of this paragraph.

(iii)

Phase two (2) of the study shall, at a minimum, develop a qualitative summary and narrative of Wyoming's public utilities' participation, if any, in regional transmission organizations, independent system operators and real-time and extended day ahead markets.

(b)

The Wyoming energy authority shall report to the joint corporations, election and political subdivisions interim committee and the joint minerals, business and economic development interim committee:

(i)

Not later than November 1, 2027 on the results of phase one (1) of the study;

(ii)

Not later than September 1, 2028 on the results of phase two (2) of the study.

(c)

The Wyoming energy authority shall establish an advisory working group to provide input on the methodology, assumptions and findings of the study required under this section. The advisory working group shall, at a minimum, include representatives of:

(i)

Rural electric cooperatives serving Wyoming;

(ii)

Investor-owned electric utilities serving Wyoming;

(iii)

Municipal electric utilities serving Wyoming;

(iv)

The Wyoming public service commission;

(v)

The office of consumer advocate.

(d)

The advisory working group established under subsection (c) of this section shall be consulted throughout both phases of the study, including during the development of study methodology and scenario assumptions, review of preliminary findings and formulation of recommendations.

Section 2
.

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

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