Cooperative Electric Utilities Reasonable Rates Energy Storage
HB20-1225
Last Action: Signed by Governor 03/27/2020
Concerning clarification of the requirement of reasonableness in charges imposed by one cooperative electric association upon another.
SESSION: 2020 Regular Session
SUBJECT: Energy
BILL SUMMARY
The act:
Declares that the jurisdiction of the Colorado public utilities commission (commission) does and traditionally has always been understood to extend to the determination of just and reasonable rates by all public utilities;
Explicitly states that the terms and conditions imposed by one cooperative electric association on another regarding the installation, interconnection, and use of energy storage systems must be just and reasonable; and
Declares that if a retail cooperative electric association withdraws from membership in a wholesale electric cooperative, the withdrawal is a matter of statewide concern for which the commission has authority to adjudicate complaints regarding such withdrawal. In relation to a retail cooperative electric association's withdrawal from membership, the wholesale electric cooperative must act in good faith and fair dealing, cannot impose unreasonable contractual terms in relation to the withdrawal, and must facilitate maintaining the retail cooperative electric association's native electric load priority for accessing firm transmission capacity.
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)