The bill amends Section 42-98-1.1 of the Energy Facility Siting Act to establish a "Capital City Underground Utility Initiative," which aims to facilitate the undergrounding of portions of the E-183 electric transmission line in the cities of Providence and East Providence. The legislation provides a historical context regarding previous decisions related to the transmission line, including the Supreme Court's affirmation of the Board's January 17, 2018 Order that deemed certain alignments infeasible. As of 2025, no underground construction has occurred, and the customer credit from a 2004 rate case has accrued interest for the benefit of local electric customers. The cities seek legislative authorization for funding mechanisms to cover the incremental costs of burying the transmission line.

Key provisions include allowing the public utilities commission to permit the cities of Providence and East Providence to apply their pro rata share of customer refunds toward the project costs. The bill authorizes the Narragansett Electric Company to apply to the regional grid operator for approval to charge New England regional network service customers for capital costs associated with the undergrounding. It also stipulates that any incremental costs exceeding available funding can be included in electric rates for customers in Providence and East Providence, subject to public utilities commission approval. Furthermore, the cities are required to acquire necessary property rights for the project, and any property no longer needed for utility purposes will be transferred to the respective city at no additional cost. The act will take effect upon passage.

Statutes affected:
5687: 42-98-1.1
5687  SUB A: 42-98-1.1