98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2013 and 2014
SB1874

 

Introduced 2/15/2013, by Sen. Chapin Rose

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
220 ILCS 5/8-406.1

    Amends the Public Utilities Act. Provides that a public utility may apply for expedited review of a certificate of public convenience and necessity for the construction of any new high voltage electric service line that does not exceed 5 miles in length nor advance contiguously to a project filed with the Commission during 2012 (rather than any new high voltage electric service line) and related facilities. Provides that no transmission line may be constructed within 1.5 miles of specified areas. Provides that the amendatory changes shall apply on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act and to all applications filed before the effective date of the amendatory Act for which the Commission has not issued a decision before the effective date of the amendatory Act. Effective immediately.


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FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

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1    AN ACT concerning regulation.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Public Utilities Act is amended by changing
5Section 8-406.1 as follows:
 
6    (220 ILCS 5/8-406.1)
7    Sec. 8-406.1. Certificate of public convenience and
8necessity; expedited procedure.
9    (a) A public utility may apply for a certificate of public
10convenience and necessity pursuant to this Section for the
11construction of any new high voltage electric service line that
12does not exceed 5 miles in length nor advance contiguously to a
13project filed with the Commission during 2012 and related
14facilities (Project). To facilitate the expedited review
15process of an application filed pursuant to this Section, an
16application shall include all of the following:
17        (1) Information in support of the application that
18    shall include the following:
19            (A) A detailed description of the Project,
20        including location maps and plot plans to scale showing
21        all major components.
22            (B) The following engineering data:
23                (i) a detailed Project description including:

 

 

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1                    (I) name and destination of the Project;
2                    (II) design voltage rating (kV);
3                    (III) operating voltage rating (kV); and
4                    (IV) normal peak operating current rating;
5                (ii) a conductor, structures, and substations
6            description including:
7                    (I) conductor size and type;
8                    (II) type of structures;
9                    (III) height of typical structures;
10                    (IV) an explanation why these structures
11                were selected;
12                    (V) dimensional drawings of the typical
13                structures to be used in the Project; and
14                    (VI) a list of the names of all new (and
15                existing if applicable) substations or
16                switching stations that will be associated
17                with the proposed new high voltage electric
18                service line;
19                (iii) the location of the site and
20            right-of-way including:
21                    (I) miles of right-of-way;
22                    (II) miles of circuit;
23                    (III) width of the right-of-way; and
24                    (IV) a brief description of the area
25                traversed by the proposed high voltage
26                electric service line, including a description

 

 

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1                of the general land uses in the area and the
2                type of terrain crossed by the proposed line;
3                (iv) assumptions, bases, formulae, and methods
4            used in the development and preparation of the
5            diagrams and accompanying data, and a technical
6            description providing the following information:
7                    (I) number of circuits, with
8                identification as to whether the circuit is
9                overhead or underground;
10                    (II) the operating voltage and frequency;
11                and
12                    (III) conductor size and type and number
13                of conductors per phase;
14                (v) if the proposed interconnection is an
15            overhead line, the following additional
16            information also must be provided:
17                    (I) the wind and ice loading design
18                parameters;
19                    (II) a full description and drawing of a
20                typical supporting structure, including
21                strength specifications;
22                    (III) structure spacing with typical
23                ruling and maximum spans;
24                    (IV) conductor (phase) spacing; and
25                    (V) the designed line-to-ground and
26                conductor-side clearances;

 

 

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1                (vi) if an underground or underwater
2            interconnection is proposed, the following
3            additional information also must be provided:
4                    (I) burial depth;
5                    (II) type of cable and a description of any
6                required supporting equipment, such as
7                insulation medium pressurizing or forced
8                cooling;
9                    (III) cathodic protection scheme; and
10                    (IV) type of dielectric fluid and
11                safeguards used to limit potential spills in
12                waterways;
13                (vii) technical diagrams that provide
14            clarification of any item under this item (1)
15            should be included; and
16                (viii) applicant shall provide and identify a
17            primary right-of-way and one or more alternate
18            rights-of-way for the Project as part of the
19            filing. To the extent applicable, for each
20            right-of-way, an applicant shall provide the
21            information described in this subsection (a). Upon
22            a showing of good cause in its filing, an applicant
23            may be excused from providing and identifying
24            alternate rights-of-way.
25        (2) An application fee of $100,000, which shall be paid
26    into the Public Utility Fund at the time the Chief Clerk of

 

 

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1    the Commission deems it complete and accepts the filing.
2        (3) Information showing that the utility has held a
3    minimum of 3 pre-filing public meetings to receive public
4    comment concerning the Project in each county where the
5    Project is to be located, no earlier than 6 months prior to
6    the filing of the application. Notice of the public meeting
7    shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation
8    within the affected county once a week for 3 consecutive
9    weeks, beginning no earlier than one month prior to the
10    first public meeting. If the Project traverses 2 contiguous
11    counties and where in one county the transmission line
12    mileage and number of landowners over whose property the
13    proposed route traverses is 1/5 or less of the transmission
14    line mileage and number of such landowners of the other
15    county, then the utility may combine the 3 pre-filing
16    meetings in the county with the greater transmission line
17    mileage and affected landowners. All other requirements
18    regarding pre-filing meetings shall apply in both
19    counties. Notice of the public meeting, including a
20    description of the Project, must be provided in writing to
21    the clerk of each county where the Project is to be
22    located. A representative of the Commission shall be
23    invited to each pre-filing public meeting.
24    (b) At the first status hearing the administrative law
25judge shall set a schedule for discovery that shall take into
26consideration the expedited nature of the proceeding.

 

 

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1    (c) Nothing in this Section prohibits a utility from
2requesting, or the Commission from approving, protection of
3confidential or proprietary information under applicable law.
4The public utility may seek confidential protection of any of
5the information provided pursuant to this Section, subject to
6Commission approval.
7    (d) The public utility shall publish notice of its
8application in the official State newspaper within 10 days
9following the date of the application's filing.
10    (e) The public utility shall establish a dedicated website
11for the Project 3 weeks prior to the first public meeting and
12maintain the website until construction of the Project is
13complete. The website address shall be included in all public
14notices.
15    (f) The Commission shall, after notice and hearing, grant a
16certificate of public convenience and necessity filed in
17accordance with the requirements of this Section if, based upon
18the application filed with the Commission and the evidentiary
19record, it finds the Project will promote the public
20convenience and necessity and that all of the following
21criteria are satisfied:
22        (1) That the Project is necessary to provide adequate,
23    reliable, and efficient service to the public utility's
24    customers and is the least-cost means of satisfying the
25    service needs of the public utility's customers or that the
26    Project will promote the development of an effectively

 

 

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1    competitive electricity market that operates efficiently,
2    is equitable to all customers, and is the least cost means
3    of satisfying those objectives.
4        (2) That the public utility is capable of efficiently
5    managing and supervising the construction process and has
6    taken sufficient action to ensure adequate and efficient
7    construction and supervision of the construction.
8        (3) That the public utility is capable of financing the
9    proposed construction without significant adverse
10    financial consequences for the utility or its customers.
11    (g) The Commission shall issue its decision with findings
12of fact and conclusions of law granting or denying the
13application no later than 150 days after the application is
14filed. The Commission may extend the 150-day deadline upon
15notice by an additional 75 days if, on or before the 30th day
16after the filing of the application, the Commission finds that
17good cause exists to extend the 150-day period.
18    (h) In the event the Commission grants a public utility's
19application for a certificate pursuant to this Section, the
20public utility shall pay a one-time construction fee to each
21county in which the Project is constructed within 30 days after
22the completion of construction. The construction fee shall be
23$20,000 per mile of high voltage electric service line
24constructed in that county, or a proportionate fraction of that
25fee. The fee shall be in lieu of any permitting fees that
26otherwise would be imposed by a county. Counties receiving a

 

 

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1payment under this subsection (h) may distribute all or
2portions of the fee to local taxing districts in that county.
3    (i) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Act, a
4decision granting a certificate under this Section shall
5include an order pursuant to Section 8-503 of this Act
6authorizing or directing the construction of the high voltage
7electric service line and related facilities as approved by the
8Commission, in the manner and within the time specified in said
9order.
10    (j) No transmission line may be constructed within 1.5
11miles of the following: agricultural zoned land; airports;
12Amish religious and educational sites; archaeological sites;
13cemeteries; churches; commercial use areas; communication
14towers or radio towers; conservation or sensitive management
15areas; designated critical habitats; designated recreational
16use areas; designated open spaces or preserves; existing
17residential use areas; geologically sensitive areas; licensed
18day care centers; national historic landmarks; nursing or
19assisted living facilities; planned development areas; planned
20residential areas; protected species area of known occurrence
21or potential habitats; scenic highways, byways, or trails;
22schools; State, regional, and local parks; traditional
23cultural properties; trees or woodlots; water well sites; or
24wetlands.
25    (k) The amendatory changes made to this Section by this
26amendatory Act of the 98th General Assembly shall apply to all

 

 

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1applications filed on or after the effective date of this
2amendatory Act of the 98th General Assembly and to all
3applications filed before the effective date of this amendatory
4Act for which the Commission has not issued a decision before
5the effective date of this amendatory Act.
6(Source: P.A. 96-1348, eff. 7-28-10.)
 
7    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
8becoming law.