Bill > SB1418

This bill makes several changes related to the regulation of power plants and transmission lines in Arizona, with a particular focus on small modular reactors (SMRs). Primarily, it amends existing laws to allow for the construction and operation of SMRs under certain conditions, exempting them from the usual requirement of obtaining a certificate of environmental compatibility from the Power Plant and Transmission Line Siting Committee (the "committee") and the Corporation Commission (the "commission"). Specifically, in counties with fewer than 500,000 people, a utility can construct a new SMR or replace an existing thermal electric generating unit with an SMR without a full siting review, provided it gives the commission 30 days' notice and the SMR is located on or adjacent to a site that previously received a certificate of environmental compatibility. The bill also allows for SMRs to be exempt from these requirements if they are "colocated with" a "large industrial energy user," with the commission tasked to define these terms, including specific energy demand thresholds for large industrial users and distance or interconnection requirements for colocation. Additionally, the bill clarifies that SMRs are considered "plants" under existing definitions and sets a minimum nameplate rating of 200 megawatts for eligible SMRs, while allowing the commission to define other terms and discriminate between reactor types based on U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission standards. The bill also makes minor technical amendments to existing statutes regarding zoning, definitions, and compliance procedures.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://apps.azleg.gov/BillStatus/BillOverview/84972