Bill > HB5540

This bill amends the Electric Transmission Line Certification Act to allow qualified transmission companies to obtain a certificate of public convenience and necessity, which is a permit required for building major transmission lines. Specifically, it modifies the definitions of "affiliated transmission company" and "independent transmission company" to include entities that have met the requirements to join a regional transmission organization and are either currently engaged or propose to be engaged in transmitting electricity using their own facilities. The bill clarifies that these companies can be independent of traditional electric utilities that generate or distribute electricity to retail customers, and it removes a previous requirement that their facilities must have been transferred from an electric utility that was operating on December 31, 2000. The term "electric utility" is also updated to reflect changes in the relevant Michigan Compiled Laws (MCL) sections and explicitly excludes municipal utilities, affiliated transmission companies, and independent transmission companies from this definition. The bill is contingent on the enactment of two other bills, HB 5538 and HB 5539.

Government Affairs

https://legislature.mi.gov/Bills/Bill?ObjectName=2026-HB-5540