Existing law authorizes a person who intends to locate a facility for the generation of process heat from solar renewable energy or a wholesale facility for the generation of renewable energy in this State to apply to the Director of the Office of Energy within the Office of the Governor for a partial abatement of certain sales and use taxes or property taxes. (NRS 701A.360) Section 7 of this bill authorizes a person who intends to locate a facility for the storage of energy from renewable generation or a hybrid renewable generation and energy storage facility in this State to apply for this partial tax abatement as well. Sections 3-5 of this bill define additional terms related to this partial tax abatement. Section 8 of this bill makes a conforming change to reflect that a partial tax abatement may be granted for a facility for the storage of energy from renewable generation or a hybrid renewable generation and energy storage facility and revises the meaning of the term “wages” for the purposes of determining the eligibility of certain renewable energy facilities for certain partial tax abatements. Existing law creates the Renewable Energy Account and requires that not less than 75 percent of the money in the Account be used to offset the cost of electricity to or the use of electricity by certain retail electric customers. (NRS 701A.450) Section 8.5 of this bill removes this requirement and instead provides that the money in the Account must be used for such purposes as the Director may establish by regulation. Existing law creates an Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Demonstration Program, in connection with which a utility is required to submit to the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada an annual plan for carrying out the Program in the service area of the utility. (NRS 701B.670) Section 10 of this bill removes the requirement for a utility to submit an annual plan for carrying out the Program. Section 56 of this bill repeals the remaining provisions of law relating to the Program. Sections 9 and 48 of this bill remove provisions of law which reference the Program. Existing law requires each electric utility to submit to the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada every 3 years an integrated resource plan to increase the utility's supply of electricity or decrease the demands made on its system by its customers. Existing law provides that the integrated resource plan must include certain components, including, without limitation, a plan for the construction or expansion of transmission facilities to serve renewable energy zones and to facilitate the utility in meeting the portfolio standard. (NRS 704.741) Sections 39 and 41 of this bill remove the requirement for an electric utility to include a plan for the construction or expansion of transmission facilities to serve renewable energy zones and to facilitate the utility in meeting the portfolio standard in its resource plan. Instead, sections 15-24 of this bill require an electric utility, on or before September 1, 2021, to amend its most recently filed resource plan to include a plan for certain high-voltage transmission infrastructure construction projects that will be placed into service not later than December 31, 2028. Section 39 requires the integrated resource plan, with respect to the possible sources of supply of the electric utility, to include at least one scenario of low carbon dioxide emissions that uses sources of supply that will achieve certain reductions in carbon dioxide emissions. Sections 39 and 41 also revise provisions governing the proposal for certain expenditures related to energy efficiency and conservation programs which must be included in the integrated resource plan. Section 30 of this bill requires the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada to require every transmission provider in this State to join a regional transmission organization on or before January 1, 2030, unless the transmission provider obtains a waiver or delay of the requirement from the Commission. Sections 26-29 of this bill define terms related to transmission providers and regional transmission organizations. Sections 31-34 of this bill create and set forth the membership and duties of the Regional Transmission Coordination Task Force. Section 33 of this bill requires the Task Force to advise the Governor and the Legislature on topics and policies related to energy transmission in this State, including the costs and benefits of the transmission providers in this State joining a regional transmission organization. Sections 26-29 of this bill define terms related to regional transmission organizations and the Task Force. Sections 14 and 39 of this bill require an electric utility to include a plan to accelerate transportation electrification in the distributed resources plan submitted by the utility as part of its integrated resource plan. Section 40 of this bill establishes factors which must be considered by the Commission in deciding whether to accept or modify a transportation electrification plan which has been submitted by a utility. Section 1 of this bill sets forth certain findings of the Legislature which are relevant to the transportation electrification plan. Section 51 of this bill provides that an electric utility is not required to include a transportation electrification plan in its resource plan filed on or before June 1, 2021, but an electric utility is required to file an amendment to its resource plan to add a transportation electrification plan on or before September 1, 2022. Section 38 of this bill makes a conforming change. Section 49 of this bill requires an electric utility, on or before September 1, 2021, to file a plan to invest in certain transportation electrification programs during the period beginning January 1, 2022, and ending on December 31, 2024, and establishes requirements for the contents of the transportation electrification investment plan for that period. Section 49 also establishes requirements for the review and the acceptance or modification of the transportation electrification investment plan by the Commission. Section 35 of this bill provides that there is no presumption that the expenses, investments or other costs incurred by a utility were prudently incurred and places the burden on the utility to demonstrate that expenses, investments or other costs were prudently and reasonably incurred. Section 37 of this bill makes a conforming change to indicate the proper placement of section 35 in the Nevada Revised Statutes. Section 36 of this bill provides that a person is not a public utility if he or she owns or operates a net metering system that provides electricity to multiple units or spaces on the same premises as the net metering system if the electricity is delivered only to units or spaces on the same premises as the net metering system, there are no individual meters measuring electricity use by the units or spaces and the persons occupying the units or spaces are not charged for electricity based upon volumetric electricity use. Existing law authorizes an electric utility to dispose of its generation assets pursuant to an authorized merger, acquisition or transaction or pursuant to an authorized transfer of its certificate of public convenience and necessity if the merger, acquisition, transaction or transfer satisfies certain requirements, including that the other person in the merger, acquisition, transaction or transfer is not a subsidiary, affiliate or a person that holds a controlling interest in the electric company. (NRS 704.7591) Section 42 of this bill removes the requirement that the other person involved in the merger, acquisition, transaction or transfer is not a subsidiary, affiliate or a person that holds a controlling interest in the electric utility and instead requires that the disposal of the generation assets be approved in an order issued by the Commission. Existing law establishes the Economic Development Electric Rate Rider Program to encourage the location or relocation of new businesses in this State by providing discounted rates for electricity to eligible participants. (NRS 704.7871-704.7882) The Commission is required to establish the discounted electric rates that may be charged pursuant to the Program as a percentage of the base tariff energy rate. (NRS 704.7881) Existing law prohibits the Office of Economic Development within the Office of the Governor from accepting an application or approving an applicant for participation in the Program after the earlier of December 31, 2017, or the date on which the capacity set aside for allocation pursuant to the Program is fully allocated. (NRS 704.788) Section 45 of this bill prohibits the Office of Economic Development from accepting an application or approving an applicant for participation in the Program after the earlier of December 31, 2024, or the date on which the capacity set aside for allocation pursuant to the Program is fully allocated. Section 46 of this bill modifies provisions governing the maximum amount of the discount which the Commission is authorized to establish for the rate charged under the Program. Section 47 of this bill requires the Commission to submit a report concerning the Program on or before December 31, 2022, for transmittal to the 82nd Session of the Legislature. Existing law requires the Commission to establish goals for energy savings for each electric utility for each calendar year and also requires each electric utility to implement an energy efficiency plan which is cost effective and designed to meet the goals for energy savings established by the Commission. Existing law further requires that at least 5 percent of the expenditures related to energy efficiency programs must be directed toward low-income customers of the electric utility. (NRS 704.741, 704.7836) Sections 39, 41 and 44 of this bill require that at least 10 percent of the expenditures related to energy efficiency programs must be spent on energy efficiency measures for customers in low-income households and residential customers and public schools in historically underserved communities. Additionally, section 44 provides that programs that can offer variable incentive levels must offer higher incentive levels for low-income households. Section 54 of this bill requires an electric utility to amend its energy efficiency plan to conform with the amendatory provisions of this bill. Sections 12 and 13 of this bill define terms relating to the energy efficiency plan. Section 43 makes a conforming change to indicate the proper placement of sections 12 and 13 in the Nevada Revised Statutes. Existing law creates the New Energy Industry Task Force which is charged with advising the Director of the Office of Energy on measures to promote the development of renewable energy and energy efficiency projects. (NRS 701.500, 701.510) Section 55 of this bill abolishes the Task Force.

Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 701A.300, 701A.360, 701A.365, 701B.005, 701B.670, 704.021, 704.061, 704.100, 704.741, 704.746, 704.751, 704.7591, 704.783, 704.7836, 704.788, 704.7881, 704.7882, 704B.310
Reprint 1: 701A.300, 701A.360, 701A.365, 701B.005, 701B.670, 704.021, 704.061, 704.100, 704.741, 704.746, 704.751, 704.7591, 704.783, 704.7836, 704.788, 704.7881, 704.7882, 704B.310
Reprint 2: 701A.300, 701A.360, 701A.365, 701B.005, 701B.670, 704.021, 704.061, 704.100, 704.741, 704.746, 704.751, 704.7591, 704.783, 704.7836, 704.788, 704.7881, 704.7882, 704B.310
Reprint 3: 701A.300, 701A.360, 701A.365, 701A.450, 701B.005, 701B.670, 704.021, 704.061, 704.100, 704.741, 704.746, 704.751, 704.7591, 704.783, 704.7836, 704.788, 704.7881, 704.7882, 704B.310
As Enrolled: 701A.300, 701A.360, 701A.365, 701A.450, 701B.005, 701B.670, 704.021, 704.061, 704.100, 704.741, 704.746, 704.751, 704.7591, 704.783, 704.7836, 704.788, 704.7881, 704.7882, 704B.310