Senate Bill No. 299, identified as File No. 344, is a legislative proposal concerning the impact of large data centers on electric distribution system reliability. The bill mandates that the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA), in consultation with the Office of Consumer Counsel, the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, and the regional independent system operator, initiate an uncontested proceeding by July 1, 2024, to evaluate this impact. The bill is effective upon passage and introduces a new section to the statutes, as indicated by the insertion language.

The fiscal impact statement and bill analysis accompanying the bill indicate that there is no expected fiscal impact on the state or municipal governments as a result of the creation of a docket for the uncontested proceeding. The bill has been reported favorably by the Committee on Energy and Technology, with a vote of 15 in favor and 4 against. The Office of Legislative Research does not analyze Special Acts, and therefore, no further analysis is provided in the document.