This bill amends several sections of the Minnesota Statutes to enhance energy generation redundancy for data centers. It introduces new definitions for "emergency backup generator" and "data center," clarifying the types of equipment and structures involved. The bill also establishes an alternative review process for environmental assessments, allowing for a more efficient evaluation of development projects within designated geographic areas. Additionally, it specifies that a combination of emergency backup generators with a capacity of 50,000 kilowatts or more, which provide power to a data center, will be exempt from certain regulatory requirements.

Key amendments include the addition of subdivisions to sections 216B.02 and 216I.02, defining emergency backup generators and data centers, respectively. The bill also modifies section 216B.243 to include exemptions for large-scale emergency backup generators serving data centers. Furthermore, it updates section 216I.07 to include requirements for projects involving emergency backup generators. The effective date for these changes is set for the day following final enactment, with specific provisions applying to pending applications after that date.

Statutes affected:
Introduction: 116D.04, 216B.02, 216B.243, 216I.02, 216I.07, 216I.08
1st Engrossment: 116D.04, 216B.02, 216B.243, 216I.02, 216I.07, 216I.08
2nd Engrossment: 116D.04, 216B.02, 216B.243, 216I.02, 216I.07