Senate Committee Reports Energy Package

Liz Gullett

May 27, 2016

On Wednesday, the Senate Energy and Technology Committee reported a package of two bills that would make reforms to the state’s energy policy. The committee and select stakeholders have been working on the bills since they were introduced in July 2015. Recently, the committee held numerous hearings on the reforms. While the Executive Office and utility companies lent their support to the legislation, there were a wide array of business, school, and environmental organizations providing hours of testimony in opposition and asked for changes to be made to the bills.

Unlike proposed reforms in the House of Representatives, the legislation was reported without setting new goals on the percentage of renewable energy the state should utilize. Instead, the Senate proposes a requirement on utility companies to create an Integrated Resource Plan showing how they will work to provide clean energy. Additionally, while the bill sponsor claims that the legislation keeps the current 10% cap on electric choice, many businesses, schools and beneficiaries of the program have addressed issues that would effectively eliminate the program. The legislation has been referred to the Senate floor for further consideration with a possible vote as early as next Tuesday.

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