SB 277-PUB. UTILITY EXEMPTION: RENEWABLE ENERGY                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:33:41 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR FRENCH announced the consideration  of SB 277 and asked the                                                               
sponsor  if  she  or  her  staff wanted  to  amplify  or  clarify                                                               
anything that  was said at  the previous hearing.  [CSSB 277(RES)                                                               
was before the committee.]                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
MICHAEL PAWLOWSKI,  Staff to  Senator McGuire,  said that  as the                                                               
RCA has recognized,  this is a policy call  about competition and                                                               
access  to the  electricity market.  He noted  that Mr.  Foster's                                                               
testimony during the previous  hearing brought particular clarity                                                               
and insight to the issue.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
1:34:22 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  MCGUIRE thanked  Chair  French for  bringing Mr.  Foster                                                               
into  the conversation  and for  indulging a  broader hearing  in                                                               
terms of looking at how  to deal with independent power producers                                                               
and renewable energy as a whole.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  FRENCH said  it's an  interesting issue  and he  likes the                                                               
bill.  He views  it as  a  matter of  two sophisticated  business                                                               
entities dealing with one another  in an arm's length transaction                                                               
without  being forced  to  strike  a deal.  That  sort of  market                                                               
mechanism should  protect consumers  in the  Railbelt as  well as                                                               
anything, he said.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
1:35:27 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  WIELECHOWSKI  said  he  shares  those  sentiments.  IPPs                                                               
shouldn't be  in a position  to dominate  the market, but  the 65                                                               
megawatt  limitation  and  the  sunset  provides  protection  for                                                               
consumers.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI moved  to report SB 277  from committee with                                                               
individual  recommendations and  attached  fiscal note(s).  There                                                               
being  no   objection,  CSSB  277(RES)  moved   from  the  Senate                                                               
Judiciary Standing Committee.