§ 39-31-5. Regional energy procurement. (a) Consistent with the purposes of this chapter the public utility company that provides electric distribution as defined in § 39-1-2(12), as well as natural gas as defined in § 39-1-2(20), in consultation with the office of energy resources and the division of public utilities and carriers is authorized to voluntarily participate in multi-state or regional efforts to:

(1) Procure domestic or international large-or small-scale hydroelectric power and eligible renewable energy resources, including wind, as defined by § 39-26-5(a), on behalf of electric ratepayers; provided, however, that large-scale hydroelectric power shall not be eligible under the renewable energy standard established by chapter 26 of title 39;

(2) Procure incremental, natural-gas pipeline infrastructure and capacity into New England to help strengthen energy system reliability and facilitate the economic interests of the state and its ratepayers;

(3) Support the development and filing of necessary tariffs and other appropriate cost-recovery mechanisms, as proposed by the office of energy resources or the division of public utilities and carriers, that allocate the costs of new, electric-transmission and natural-gas pipeline infrastructure and capacity projects selected pursuant to the provisions of this chapter to ratepayers, such that costs are shared among participating states in an equitable manner; and

(4) To the extent that the public utility company that provides electric distribution as defined in § 39-1-2(12), as well as natural gas as defined in § 39-1-2(20), pursues the objectives identified above, the public utility company shall utilize all appropriate competitive processes, and maintain compliance with applicable federal and state siting laws.

(b) Any procurement authorized under this section shall be commercially reasonable.

History of Section. (P.L. 2014, ch. 424, § 1; P.L. 2014, ch. 477, § 1.)