Undergrounding electric transmission lines; pilot program. (HB576)

Introduced By

Del. Mark Keam (D-Vienna)

Progress

Introduced
Passed Committee
Passed House
Passed Senate
Signed by Governor
Became Law

Description

Undergrounding electric transmission lines; pilot program. Specifies that one of the two projects that may be included in the pilot program for the undergrounding of electric transmission lines shall be for the relocation or conversion of an existing 230-kilovolt overhead line to an underground line. The measure provides that such a project may be approved if the estimated additional cost of placing the line, in whole or in part, underground does not exceed $40 million or, if greater than $40 million, does not exceed 2.5 times the costs of placing the same line overhead, which costs are borne by all of the utility's ratepayers through a rate adjustment clause. Currently the cost of such a project is ineligible if it exceeds 2.5 times the cost of placing the same line overhead. The measure provides that such a project may be approved for participation in the pilot program if its primary need is related to the economic development priorities and the comprehensive plan of the governing body of the locality in which at least a portion of line will be placed. The measure exempts a project that satisfies the criteria for participation in the pilot project from the requirement that the State Corporation Commission find that the transmission line is needed. The measure adds that the pilot program is created to further understanding of the benefits of undergrounding existing electric transmission lines to promote economic development. This bill is identical to SB 782. Read the Bill »

Outcome

Bill Has Passed

History

DateAction
01/06/2020Committee
01/06/2020Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/08/20 20102639D
01/06/2020Referred to Committee on Labor and Commerce
01/11/2020Impact statement from SCC (HB576)
01/14/2020Assigned L & C sub: Subcommittee #3
01/23/2020Subcommittee recommends reporting (9-Y 0-N)
01/28/2020Reported from Labor and Commerce (20-Y 1-N) (see vote tally)
01/30/2020Read first time
01/31/2020Read second time and engrossed
02/03/2020Read third time and passed House (80-Y 19-N)
02/03/2020VOTE: Passage (80-Y 19-N) (see vote tally)
02/04/2020Constitutional reading dispensed
02/04/2020Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor
02/17/2020Reported from Commerce and Labor (14-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/19/2020Constitutional reading dispensed (39-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/20/2020Read third time
02/20/2020Passed Senate (36-Y 4-N) (see vote tally)
02/24/2020Enrolled
02/24/2020Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB576ER)
02/24/2020Signed by Speaker
02/25/2020Impact statement from SCC (HB576ER)
02/25/2020Signed by President
02/26/2020Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on February 26, 2020
02/26/2020G Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., March 4, 2020
03/04/2020G Approved by Governor-Chapter 164 (effective 7/1/20)
03/04/2020G Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0164)

Video

This bill was discussed on the floor of the General Assembly. Below is all of the video that we have of that discussion, 1 clip in all, totaling 40 seconds.