This bill amends the Certified Industrial Business Expansion Development Program in West Virginia by removing the requirement that electricity provided to high impact industrial business development districts must be generated from renewable sources. The bill allows for the certification of high impact industrial business development districts by the Secretary of the Department of Economic Development, provided that certain economic impact criteria are met. The Secretary may certify no more than two districts, and the program aims to encourage the development and expansion of industrial facilities in the state.

Additionally, the bill outlines provisions for electric service within these certified districts, stating that entities providing electricity will not be subject to certain regulations by the Public Service Commission. It also establishes eligibility criteria for industrial plants or facilities to qualify as new electric generating loads, ensuring that they can benefit from the program without being required to connect to public electric utilities. The provisions of this section are set to expire on June 30, 2028, but will not affect any districts previously approved.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 5B-2-21