AB 1211

Under current law, a municipality has the power to construct and operate a plant and equipment for the production, transmission, delivery, or furnishing of heat, light, water, or power; to purchase any public utility on terms approved by the Public Service Commission; and to acquire the property of any public utility. “Municipality” is defined to mean any town, village, or city wherein property of a public utility or any part thereof is located. This bill creates a grant program under which PSC must award a grant to any municipality that takes any of the aforementioned actions for the purpose of owning and operating a public utility if the municipality has secured from PSC a certificate of public convenience and necessity to do so. Under the bill, such a grant must cover 50 percent of the costs of construction or acquisition. The bill funds the grant program with a sum sufficient appropriation.