2013 Connecticut General Statutes
Title 16a - Planning and Energy Policy
Chapter 295 - Energy Planning
Section 16a-7b - Infrastructure criteria guidelines.

(a) Not later than December 1, 2004, the Connecticut Energy Advisory Board shall develop infrastructure criteria guidelines for the evaluation process under subsection (f) of section 16a-7c, which guidelines shall be consistent with state environmental policy, state economic development policy, and the state’s policy regarding the restructuring of the electric industry, as set forth in section 16-244, and shall include, but not be limited to, the following: (1) Environmental preference standards; (2) efficiency standards, including, but not limited to, efficiency standards for transmission, generation and demand-side management; (3) generation preference standards; (4) electric capacity, use trends and forecasted resource needs; (5) natural gas capacity, use trends and forecasted resource needs; and (6) national and regional reliability criteria applicable to the regional bulk power grid, as determined in consultation with the regional independent system operator, as defined in section 16-1. In developing environmental preference standards, the board shall consider the recommendations and findings of the task force established pursuant to section 25-157a and Executive Order Number 26 of Governor John G. Rowland.

(b) No municipality other than a municipality operating a plant pursuant to chapter 101 or any special act and acting for purposes thereto may take an action to condemn, in whole or in part, or restrict the operation of any existing and currently operating energy facility, if such facility is first determined by the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority, following a contested case proceeding, held in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, to comprise a critical, unique and unmovable component of the state’s energy infrastructure, unless the municipality first receives written approval from the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection and the Connecticut Siting Council that such taking would not have a detrimental impact on the state’s or region’s ability to provide a particular energy resource to its citizens.

(P.A. 03-140, S. 18; P.A. 04-191, S. 1; P.A. 07-242, S. 77, 110; P.A. 11-80, S. 1, 42; P.A. 13-298, S. 25.)

History: P.A. 03-140 effective July 1, 2003; P.A. 04-191 added provision re consideration of recommendations and findings of task force in developing environmental preference standards, effective July 1, 2004; P.A. 07-242 designated existing provisions as Subsec. (a) and added Subsec. (b) re limitation on ability of municipality to condemn or restrict operation of existing and operating energy facility, effective June 4, 2007, and deleted reference to the comprehensive energy plan prepared pursuant to Sec. 16a-7a, effective July 1, 2007; P.A. 11-80 amended Subsec. (b) to replace reference to Department of Public Utility Control with reference to Public Utilities Regulatory Authority and delete reference to Office of Policy and Management, effective July 1, 2011; P.A. 13-298 amended Subsec. (b) to delete “Connecticut Energy Advisory Board” and replace “department” with “Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection” re written approval to municipality, effective July 8, 2013.