The 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, serving a data center, will be exempt from certain regulatory requirements.

Key amendments include the addition of subdivisions to define emergency backup generators and data centers, as well as the introduction of provisions that streamline environmental review processes. The bill also modifies existing exemptions related to energy projects, specifically including provisions for emergency backup generators serving data centers. The effective dates for these changes are set for the day following final enactment, with some provisions applying to pending applications after July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
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