Bill > S1764

This bill amends existing laws related to renewable energy portfolio standards, which are requirements for electricity suppliers to source a certain percentage of their power from renewable sources. Specifically, it modifies how energy from hydroelectric facilities is classified as renewable. For new hydroelectric facilities or improvements to existing ones that increase capacity or efficiency, the bill allows them to be certified as Class I renewable energy sources if they meet certain environmental standards related to river health, water quality, and fish passage, with some exceptions for facilities reviewed by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) after January 1, 1992, and limits on the capacity of new or improved facilities to 30 megawatts, excluding pumped storage. For existing hydroelectric facilities, the bill allows them to be certified as Class II renewable energy sources if they meet similar environmental standards, with provisions for facilities under FERC jurisdiction reviewed after January 1, 1992, or those approved before that date where the department can verify compliance, and a limit of 7.5 megawatts for existing facilities to qualify as renewable energy, also excluding pumped storage.