HOUSE FILE 477

BY  KAJTAZOVIC

A BILL FOR

An Act establishing solar energy ownership or purchasing goals applicable to electric utilities.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

   Section 1.  NEW SECTION.  476.44B  Solar energy ownership or purchase —— goals.
   1.  Solar energy ownership or purchasing goals are established, applicable to electric utilities subject to this division, except utilities that elect rate regulation pursuant to section 476.1A, and in addition to the one hundred five megawatt purchase requirements provided in section 476.44. An electric utility is encouraged to own or purchase the following goal amounts of solar energy each year for a five-year interval, with each succeeding year added to the purchase or ownership goal for the preceding year:
   a.  By December 31, 2012, twelve megawatts.
   b.  By December 31, 2013, thirty-five additional megawatts.
   c.  By December 31, 2014, fifty-eight additional megawatts.
   d.  By December 31, 2015, eighty additional megawatts.
   e.  By December 31, 2016, one hundred fifteen additional megawatts.
   2.  At the conclusion of the five-year interval established in subsection 1, an electric utility complying with the goals would own or purchase a cumulative total of three hundred megawatts of solar energy and shall be encouraged to maintain this ownership or purchase level each year thereafter.
   3.  The board shall by rule establish procedures for encouraging utilities to comply with the goals and monitoring the extent to which compliance is achieved.
EXPLANATION
   This bill establishes solar energy ownership or purchasing goals applicable to designated electric utilities, in addition to existing alternate energy purchase requirements contained in Code section 476.44.
   The bill provides that an electric utility is encouraged to own or purchase increasing amounts of solar energy over a five-year period, ranging from 12 megawatts by December 31, 2012, to 115 megawatts by December 31, 2016. At the conclusion of the five years, the bill specifies that an electric utility complying with the goal would own or purchase a cumulative total of 300 megawatts of solar energy, and shall be encouraged to maintain this level each year thereafter.
   The bill directs the Iowa utilities board by rule to establish procedures for encouraging utilities to comply with the goals and monitoring the extent to which compliance is achieved.