Legislature triples down on fuel cell billOFFICE OF FISCAL ANALYSIS Legislative Office Building, Room 5200 Hartford, CT 06106 (860) 240-0200 https://www.cga.ct.gov/ofa HB-7036 AN ACT PROMOTING THE USE OF FUEL CELLS FOR ELECTRIC DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM BENEFITS AND RELIABILITY. OFA Fiscal Note State Impact: See Below Municipal Impact: See Below Explanation The bill allows electric distribution companies (EDCs, i.e. Eversource and United Illuminating), under certain conditions, to build, own or operate new fuel cell generation. The bill also requires the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority's (PURA) approval for an EDC's plans to acquire new fuel cell generation and any proposals subsequently received under an approved plan. PURA may approve proposals if they meet certain criteria. It is anticipated that PURA will only approve plans that are in the best interest of the ratepayer, which may result in savings to the state and municipalities. Also, the bill requires the net costs EDCs incur under the plan and proposals to be recovered from their ratepayers. This would result in a cost to the state and municipalities as ratepayers. However, there would be no cost to ratepayers, including the state and municipalities, until PURA revises the utility rates to incorporate the bill's costs. The Out Years The fiscal impact to the state and municipalities as a ratepayer in the outyears is dependent on the cost of certain fuel cell projects and the cost of electricity. The Out Years The fiscal impact to the state and municipalities as a ratepayer in the outyears is dependent on the cost of certain fuel cell projects and the cost of electricity. https://www.cga.ct.gov/2017/FN/2017HB-07036-R000454-FN.htm NewHavenBiz Legislature triples down on fuel cell bill MATT PILON | JUNE 8, 2017 11:51 AM The state's fuel cell industry could see an uptick in buyers after both legislative chambers came to terms recently over a bill supported by Gov. Dannel Malloy. The House and Senate, both of which officially adjourned last night, took action in recent days on a bill that would set up a competitive bidding process specifically for fuel cells, allowing utility companies to own them or enter into long-term purchase agreements with fuel cell developers. As originally proposed, the bill sets up a bidding process for no more than 10 megawatts of capacity, and versions of the bill remained at that number as recently as April. But an amendment passed by both chambers over the weekend increased that cap to 30 megawatts. A higher cap can only be helpful for the industry, which has struggled to compete on price with solar power, but some proponents had hoped for a much higher figure. https://m.hartfordbusiness.com/article/20170608/NEWS01/170609942