00 HOUSE BILL NO. 187 01 "An Act creating the Railbelt Electrical Transmission Authority; and relating to the 02 duties of the Regulatory Commission of Alaska." 03 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 04  * Section 1. AS 42.05.711 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 05 (u) Provisions of this chapter that have been explicitly superseded by a 06 provision adopted by the Railbelt Electrical Transmission Authority created under 07 AS 42.05.900 - 42.05.950 do not apply to a utility with a representative on the board 08 of the Railbelt Electrical Transmission Authority created under AS 42.05.900 - 09 42.05.950. 10  * Sec. 2. AS 42.05 is amended by adding new sections to read: 11 Article 9A. Railbelt Electrical Transmission Authority.  12 Sec. 42.05.900. Creation of authority. The commission shall establish the 13 Railbelt Electrical Transmission Authority for the purpose of developing a reasonable 14 plan to manage the electric transmission system of the Railbelt area; determining, 01 objectively and unbiasedly, the optimal output of electrical generation facilities to 02 meet the system load, at the lowest possible cost, subject to transmission and 03 operational constraints of the Railbelt area; and consolidating operations and tariffs. 04 The authority is a division of the commission. 05 Sec. 42.05.910. Members. (a) The authority shall consist of 13 members who 06 are appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the commission, as follows: 07 (1) six members representing utilities, with one member from each of 08 the following areas: 09 (A) the Anchorage and upper Kenai Peninsula areas; 10 (B) the Fairbanks, Delta Junction, Nenana, Healy, Cantwell 11 areas; 12 (C) the Matanuska-Susitna, Eagle River, and Chugiak areas; 13 (D) the Homer and the lower Kenai peninsula areas; 14 (E) the Anchorage area; 15 (F) the Seward area; 16 (2) at least one member representing independent power producers in 17 the Railbelt area of the state; 18 (3) at least one member representing consumers of the Interior area of 19 the state; 20 (4) at least one member representing consumers of the coastal Railbelt 21 area of the state; 22 (5) at least one member representing the renewable energy sector in 23 the Railbelt area of the state; 24 (6) at least one member who is an employee of the Alaska Energy 25 Authority. 26 (b) The commission shall, in the appointment of members under this section, 27 endeavor to create an authority that represents the interests of diverse stakeholders 28 across the Railbelt area. 29 (c) The members of the authority shall, by seven or more affirmative votes, 30 elect a chair from the members listed in (a)(2) - (6) of this section. 31 Sec. 42.05.920. Powers and duties. (a) The authority may, for the Railbelt 01 area and subject to the approval of the commission, 02 (1) adopt rules 03 (A) governing a unified transmission system, with the goal of 04 optimizing the output of electrical generation facilities in the area in order to 05 meet the system load, at the lowest possible cost; 06 (B) establishing and administering a transparent and universal 07 transmission tariff; 08 (C) implementing open access nondiscriminatory transmission 09 services; 10 (D) establishing reliability, planning, and interconnection 11 standards; 12 (E) establishing planning and interconnection protocols; 13 (F) allowing rate recovery for transmission; 14 (2) authorize interconnections and the construction, development, or 15 expansion of a transmission project; 16 (3) create a long-term plan for the transmission system, including 17 upgrades, and regional and area cooperation. 18 (b) A rule, authorization, or plan developed under (a) of this section must 19 receive nine or more affirmative votes before the authority may submit it to the 20 commission for approval. 21 (c) In developing rules and authorizing interconnection and transmission 22 projects under (a) of this section, the authority shall, to the greatest extent possible, 23 (1) adhere to nationally recognized reliability and interconnection 24 standards; 25 (2) use existing transmission and interconnection infrastructure; 26 (3) provide nondiscriminatory access and service. 27 (d) The authority may not own assets in excess of $100,000. 28 (e) The commission shall provide staff for the authority. 29 Sec. 42.05.950. Definition. In AS 42.05.900 - 42.05.950, "authority" means 30 the Railbelt Electrical Transmission Authority.