Senate Bill 556 aims to provide utility aid payments to counties and municipalities hosting energy storage facilities and liquefied natural gas (LNG) storage facilities in Wisconsin. The bill stipulates that the Department of Administration (DOA) will distribute payments based on the megawatt capacity of energy storage facilities, calculated at $2,000 per megawatt. Specifically, cities and villages will receive two-thirds of this amount, while counties will receive one-third for energy storage facilities. For LNG storage facilities, payments will be based on the net book value of the facility, with different rates for cities, villages, and towns. The bill also introduces definitions for energy storage facilities and LNG storage facilities, detailing the types of technologies included.

Additionally, the bill amends existing statutes to incorporate these new provisions, including the creation of new sections and the addition of energy storage facilities to the payment distribution framework. Notably, it modifies existing payment structures to ensure that municipalities and counties do not see reductions in payments due to the cessation of power generation or storage units. The bill will take effect for distributions made after January 1, 2027.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text: 79.04(4)(a), 79.04, 79.04(4)(b), 79.04(8)(intro.), 79.04(8)(a), 79.04(8)(b)