| Members Present: Sen. Ronald Winterton, Chair Rep. Carl R. Albrecht, Chair Sen. David P. Hinkins Sen. Derek L. Kitchen Sen. Ralph Okerlund Sen. Scott D. Sandall Rep. Patrice M. Arent Rep. Walt Brooks Rep. Scott H. Chew Rep. Steve R. Christiansen | Rep. Kay J. Christofferson Rep. Joel Ferry Rep. Carol Spackman Moss Rep. Marie H. Poulson Rep. Jeffrey D. Stenquist Rep. Keven J. Stratton Staff Present: Sarah J. Balland, Policy Analyst Rikka Strong, Associate General Counsel Cherish Cosman, Administrative Assistant Lorna Wells, Committee Secretary |
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Note: A copy of related materials and an audio recording of the
meeting can be found at www.le.utah.gov.
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| Chair Winterton called the meeting to order at 1:33 p.m. |
| 1. Committee Business |
| MOTION: Sen. Hinkins moved to approve the minutes of the September 15, 2020, meeting. The motion passed with a vote of 15-0-1. | |||
| Yeas - 15 | Nays-0 | Abs-1 | |
| Rep. C. Albrecht Rep. P. Arent Rep. W. Brooks Rep. S. Chew Rep. K. Christofferson Rep. J. Ferry Sen. D. Hinkins Sen. D. Kitchen Rep. C. Moss Sen. R. Okerlund Rep. M. Poulson Sen. S. Sandall Rep. J. Stenquist Rep. K. Stratton Sen. R. Winterton | Rep. S. Christiansen |
| Sarah J. Balland, Policy Analyst, Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel, reviewed the public comment protocols. |
| 2. Draft Legislation: 2021FL0538, "Energy Balancing Account Amendments" |
| 2A - Draft Legislation: 2021FL0538_004, "Energy Balancing Account Amendments" (version 4) |
| 2B - Draft Legislation: 2021FL0538_007, "Energy Balancing Account Amendments" (version 7) |
| Rep. Carl Albrecht presented an overview of the draft legislation and committee discussion followed. |
| Michele Beck, Director, Office of Consumer Services, Utah Department of Commerce, discussed the background leading to the draft legislation and spoke to the draft legislation. |
| Chris Parker, Executive Director, Utah Department of Commerce, spoke in favor of the draft legislation. |
| MOTION: Rep. Albrecht moved to favorably recommend the substitute draft legislation (version 7) as a committee bill. The motion passed with a vote of 15-0-1. | |||
| Yeas - 15 | Nays-0 | Abs-1 | |
| Rep. C. Albrecht Rep. P. Arent Rep. W. Brooks Rep. S. Chew Rep. K. Christofferson Rep. J. Ferry Sen. D. Hinkins Sen. D. Kitchen Rep. C. Moss Sen. R. Okerlund Rep. M. Poulson Sen. S. Sandall Rep. J. Stenquist Rep. K. Stratton Sen. R. Winterton | Rep. S. Christiansen |
| 3. Renewable Energy Transmission and Regional Markets |
| 3B - Regional Markets and Coordination, Western Resource Advocates (presentation) |
| Nick Schou, Utah Government Affairs Manager, and Vijay A. Satyal, Sr. Energy Market Policy Analyst, Western Resource Advocates, presented on the benefits of regional markets and responded to committee questions. |
| 3A - Opportunity for Electricity Transmission in Utah, Interwest Energy Alliance, Nate Blouin (presentation) |
| Nate Blouin, Policy Manager, Interwest Energy Alliance, presented an overview of Interwest Energy Alliance and regional markets and answered committee questions. |
| Michele Beck explained regulatory agencies' roles in monitoring emerging regional markets through the context of both costs and benefits associated with the markets and committee discussion continued. |
| Joseph Tipetts, Associate General Counsel, TransWest, explained benefits to Utah of regional markets and answered questions from the committee and committee discussion continued. |
| 4. Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Update |
| 4A - Co-op Service Territory Map, Utah Rural Electric Cooperative Association, Jeff Peterson (handout) |
| Jeff Peterson, Executive Director, Utah Rural Electric Cooperative Association (URECA), presented on URECA priorities and updates and responded to committee questions. |
| 4B - Electric Vehicle Update, RMP (presentation) |
| James Campbell, Innovation Policy Director, Rocky Mountain Power, presented on context and background leading up to 2020 HB 396, "Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Amendments", current combined efforts toward implementing the legislation, and answered questions from the committee. |
| 4C - Advancing EVs in Utah, Western Resource Advocates, Aaron Kressig (presentation) |
| Nick Schou and Aaron Kressig, Transportation Manager, Western Resource Advocates, presented on successes and challenges of advancing electric vehicles across Utah. |
| 5. Follow-up: September Wind Event and Power Restoration Protocols |
| 5B - Infrastructure Investments, UAMPS, Mike Squires (presentation) |
| Mike Squires, Government Affairs Director, Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems (UAMPS), presented an overview of UAMPS's response to the wind event in September and answered committee questions. |
| 5A - Wind Storm Response, RMP (presentation) |
| Curt Mansfield, Vice President of Transmission and Distribution Operations, Rocky Mountain Power, discussed Rocky Mountain Power's response and restoration efforts related to the wind event and addressed committee questions and comments. |
| 6. Other Items/Adjourn |
| MOTION: Sen. Hinkins moved to adjourn. The motion passed with a vote of 14-0-2. | |||
| Yeas - 14 | Nays-0 | Abs-2 | |
| Rep. C. Albrecht Rep. P. Arent Rep. W. Brooks Rep. S. Chew Rep. S. Christiansen Rep. K. Christofferson Rep. J. Ferry Sen. D. Hinkins Rep. C. Moss Rep. M. Poulson Sen. S. Sandall Rep. J. Stenquist Rep. K. Stratton Sen. R. Winterton | Sen. D. Kitchen Sen. R. Okerlund |
| Chair Winterton adjourned the meeting at 3:39 p.m. |