Exemption for interstate natural gas companies from certain requirements regarding real estate transactions and court actions, creation and powers of municipal electric companies, and exemption from certificate of public convenience and necessity for certain electric transmission line projects

This bill creates an additional exception if the record title of the property remains with a natural gas company, which is defined as described above.

Current law also allows any combination of municipalities of this state that operate electric generation, transmission, or distribution facilities to establish a municipal electric company for the joint production, transmission, or distribution of electric power for the benefit of the municipalities. Current law defines "municipality" for this purpose as a city, village, or town. This bill defines "municipality" also to include an electric utility, or combined utility, that is owned or operated by a city, village, or town. In addition, the bill allows any combination of municipalities of this state and another state to establish a municipal electric company. Current law also allows a municipal electric company to undertake certain projects and enter into certain contracts and other agreements with other persons and public agencies. Current law defines "person" to include business entities organized under the laws of any state or the United States. This bill defines "person" to also include business entities organized under the laws of any foreign nation or subdivision of any foreign nation. Current law defines "public agency" to include municipal and other governmental entities created under the laws of any state or the United States, as well as any state or the United States. The bill defines "public agency" to also include municipal and other governmental entities created under the laws of any foreign nation or subdivision of any foreign nation, as well as any foreign nation or subdivision of any foreign nation. The bill also exempts a municipal electric company from a requirement under current law to obtain the attorney general's approval prior to contracting with municipalities of other states or with federally recognized American Indian tribes or bands located in other states.

Finally, current law prohibits, with certain exceptions, a person from constructing a high-voltage transmission line unless the Public Service Commission (PSC) has granted the person a certificate of public convenience and necessity (CPCN) for the line. Current law defines "high-voltage transmission line" as an electric transmission line exceeding one mile in length that is designed for operation at a nominal voltage of 100 kilovolts or more. One of the exceptions to the CPCN requirement is for construction of a high-voltage transmission line that is designed for operation at a nominal voltage of less than 345 kilovolts. The exception applies only if all related construction activity takes place entirely within the area of an existing electric transmission line right-of-way. This bill eliminates the foregoing requirement, and provides instead that the exception applies only if the centerline of the high-voltage transmission line is located within 60 feet on either side of the centerline of an existing electric transmission line that operates at a nominal voltage of 69 kilovolts or more. In addition, for the exception to apply, the person constructing the high-voltage transmission line must demonstrate to the PSC that the project will not have undue adverse environmental impacts. Also, the person must demonstrate that the high-voltage transmission line requires the acquisition in total of one-half mile or less of rights-of-way from landowners from whom rights-of-way were not required to be acquired for the existing electric transmission line.