Bill > S0318

This bill allows Rhode Island's public utility company to procure nuclear power and participate in related infrastructure projects by amending the state's Affordable Clean Energy Security Act. Specifically, the bill enables the utility to voluntarily enter into long-term contracts for nuclear power through competitive solicitation processes, subject to review and approval by the Public Utilities Commission. The commission will evaluate these contracts based on criteria such as commercial reasonability, consistency with greenhouse gas reduction targets, and potential benefits to energy reliability, security, and ratepayer costs. The bill also requires state agencies like the Department of Environmental Management and the Commerce Corporation to provide advisory opinions on the environmental and economic impacts of proposed nuclear power contracts. Additionally, the bill adds a severability clause to ensure that if any part of the law is found invalid, the rest of the law can still be implemented. The changes are intended to expand Rhode Island's energy procurement options and potentially improve energy system reliability by including nuclear power as a potential energy resource.

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