16,2993
Section 2993. 196.28 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
196.28 (1) If the commission believes that any rate or charge is unreasonable or unjustly discriminatory or that any service is inadequate or cannot be obtained or that an investigation of any matter relating to any public utility or to any provision of water or sewer service by a mobile home park operator or mobile home park contractor should for any reason be made, the commission on its own motion summarily may investigate with or without notice.
16,2994
Section 2994. 196.28 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:
196.28 (3) Notice of the time and place for a hearing under sub. (2) shall be given to the public utility, mobile home park contractor or mobile home park operator, and to such other interested persons as the commission considers necessary. After the notice has been given, proceedings shall be had and conducted in reference to the matter investigated as if a complaint specified in s. 196.26 (1) (a) had been filed with the commission relative to the matter investigated. The same order or orders may be made in reference to the matter as if the investigation had been made on complaint under s. 196.26.
16,3001b
Section 3001b. 196.491 (1) (w) of the statutes is renumbered 196.491 (1) (w) 1., and 196.491 (1) (w) 1. (intro.), as renumbered, is amended to read:
196.491 (1) (w) 1. (intro.) "Wholesale merchant plant" means, except as provided in subd. 2., electric generating equipment and associated facilities located in this state that do not provide service to any retail customer and that are owned and operated by any of the following:
16,3001d
Section 3001d. 196.491 (1) (w) 2. of the statutes is created to read:
196.491 (1) (w) 2. "Wholesale merchant plant" does not include an electric generating facility or an improvement to an electric generating facility that is subject to a leased generation contract, as defined in s. 196.52 (9) (a) 3.
16,3001m
Section 3001m. 196.491 (3c) of the statutes is created to read:
196.491 (3c) Commencement of construction of large electric generating facilities. (a) Except as provided in par. (b), an electric utility that has received a certificate of public convenience and necessity under sub. (3) for constructing a large electric generating facility shall commence construction no later than one year after the latest of the following:
1. The date on which the commission issues the certificate of public convenience and necessity.
2. The date on which the electric utility has been issued every federal and state permit, approval, and license that is required prior to commencement of construction.
3. The date on which every deadline has expired for requesting administrative review or reconsideration of every federal and state permit, approval, and license that is required prior to commencement of construction.
4. The date on which the electric utility has received the final decision, after exhaustion of judicial review, in every proceeding for judicial review described in sub. (3) (j).
(b) Upon showing of good cause, the commission may grant an extension to the deadline specified in par. (a).
(c) If an electric utility does not commence construction of a large electric generating facility within the deadline specified in par. (a) or extended under par. (b), the certificate of public convenience and necessity is void, and the electric utility may not commence construction of the large electric generating facility.
16,3001p
Section 3001p. 196.496 of the statutes is created to read:
196.496 Distributed generation facilities. (1) Definition. In this section, "distributed generation facility" means a facility for the generation of electricity with a capacity of no more than 15 megawatts that is located near the point where the electricity will be used or is in a location that will support the functioning of the electric power distribution grid.
(2) Rules. The commission shall promulgate rules establishing standards for the connection of distributed generation facilities to electric distribution facilities. To the extent technically feasible and cost effective, the standards shall be uniform and shall promote the development of distributed generation facilities. The standards shall address engineering, electric reliability, and safety concerns and the methods for determining charges for interconnection.
16,3002
Section 3002. 196.498 (title) of the statutes is repealed.
16,3003
Section 3003. 196.498 (2) of the statutes is renumbered 101.937 (1) and amended to read:
101.937 (1) Rules. The commission department shall promulgate rules that establish standards for providing water or sewer service by a mobile manufactured home park operator or mobile manufactured home park contractor to a mobile manufactured home park occupant, including requirements for metering, billing, deposits, depositing, arranging deferred payment arrangements, installation of, installing service, refusing or discontinuing service, and resolving disputes with respect to service. Rules promulgated under this subsection shall ensure that any charge for water or sewer service is reasonable and not unjustly discriminatory, that the water or sewer service is reasonably adequate, and that any practice relating to providing the service is just and reasonable.
16,3004
Section 3004. 196.498 (3) of the statutes is renumbered 101.937 (2) and amended to read:
101.937 (2) Permanent improvements. A mobile manufactured home park operator may make a reasonable recovery of capital costs for permanent improvements related to the provision of water or sewer service to mobile manufactured home park occupants through ongoing rates for water or sewer service.
16,3005
Section 3005. 196.498 (4) of the statutes is renumbered 101.937 (3) and amended to read:
101.937 (3) Enforcement. (a) Notwithstanding s. 196.44, on On its own motion or upon a complaint filed by a mobile manufactured home park occupant, the commission department may issue an order or commence a civil action against a mobile manufactured home park operator or mobile manufactured home park contractor to enforce this section, any rule promulgated under sub. (2) (1), or any order issued under this paragraph.
(b) The department of justice, after consulting with the commission department, or any district attorney may commence an action in circuit court to enforce this section.
16,3006
Section 3006. 196.498 (5) of the statutes is renumbered 101.937 (4) and amended to read:
101.937 (4) Private cause of action. Any person suffering pecuniary loss because of a violation of any rule promulgated under sub. (2) (1) or order issued under sub. (4) (3) (a) may sue for damages and shall recover twice the amount of any pecuniary loss, together with costs, and, notwithstanding s. 814.04 (1), reasonable attorney fees.
16,3007
Section 3007. 196.498 (6) of the statutes is renumbered 101.937 (5) and amended to read:
101.937 (5) Penalties. (a) Any person who violates any rule promulgated under sub. (2) (1) or any order issued under sub. (4) (3) (a) shall forfeit not less than $25 nor more than $5,000. Each violation and each day of violation constitutes a separate offense.
(b) Any person who intentionally violates any rule promulgated under sub. (2) (1) or order issued under sub. (4) (3) (a) shall be fined not less than $25 nor more than $5,000 or imprisoned not more than one year in the county jail or both. Each violation and each day of violation constitutes a separate offense.
16,3008mc
Section 3008mc. 196.52 (9) of the statutes is created to read:
196.52 (9) (a) In this subsection:
1. "Electric generating equipment" means any of the following:
a. An electric generator.
b. A machine that drives an electric generator, including an engine, turbine, water wheel, or wind mill.
c. Equipment that converts a fuel or source of energy into energy that powers a machine that drives an electric generator, including a boiler, but not including a nuclear reactor.
d. A fuel or photovoltaic cell.
2. "Electric generating facility" means electric generating equipment and associated facilities that, together, constitute a complete facility for the generation of electricity.
3. "Leased generation contract" means a contract or arrangement or set of contracts or arrangements under which an affiliated interest of a public utility agrees with the public utility to construct or improve an electric generating facility and to lease to the public utility land and the facility for operation by the public utility.
(b) The commission may approve a leased generation contract under sub. (3) only if all of the following apply:
1. The commission has not issued a certificate under s. 196.49 or a certificate of public convenience and necessity under s. 196.491 (3) before January 1, 2002, for any construction or improvement that is subject to the leased generation contract.
2. Construction or improvement of the electric generating facility that is subject to the leased generation contract commences on or after January 1, 2002.
3. Except as provided in s. 196.795 (5) (k) 3., no electric generating facility, electric generating equipment, or associated facilities, held or used by the public utility for the provision of electric service, is transferred to the affiliated interest.
4. The estimated gross cost of the construction or improvement that is subject to the leased generation contract is at least $10,000,000.
5. The construction or improvement is not to a nuclear-powered facility.
6. Any real property that the public utility transfers to the affiliated interest for the purpose of implementing the leased generation contract is transferred at book value, which is determined on the basis of the regulated books of account at the time of the transfer.
7. If the public utility transfers real property to the affiliated interest for the purpose of implementing the leased generation contract, the leased generation contract provides for transferring that real property back to the public utility, on the same terms and conditions as the original transfer, if the commission determines that the construction or improvement that is subject to the leased generation contract has not been completed.
8. The leased generation contract provides that, upon termination of the contract, all of the following apply:
a. The public utility shall have the option, subject to commission approval, to extend the contract, or purchase the electric generating facility or the improvements to an electric generating facility, at fair market value as determined by a valuation process that is conducted by an independent third party and that is specified in the contract.
b. If the public utility exercises the option specified in subd. 8. a., the affiliated interest may require the public utility to extend the contract, rather than purchase the facilities or improvements, if the affiliated interest demonstrates to the commission that the extension avoids material adverse tax consequences and that the extension provides terms and conditions that are economically equivalent to a purchase.
9. For any gas-fired electric generating facility that is constructed under the leased generation contract, the term of the lease is 20 years or more.
10. For any coal-fired electric generating facility that is constructed under the leased generation contract, the term of the lease is 25 years or more.
11. The leased generation contract does not take effect until the date on which the affiliated interest commences construction or improvement of the electric generating facility, except that, if the leased generation contract relates to the construction or improvement of more than one electric generating facility, the leased generation contract does not take effect with respect to the construction or improvement of an individual electric generating facility until the date on which the affiliated interest commences construction or improvement on that electric generating facility.
(c) Except as provided in par. (d), the commission may not increase or decrease the retail revenue requirements of a public utility on the basis of any income, expense, gain, or loss that is received or incurred by an affiliated interest of the public utility and that arises from the ownership of an electric generating facility or an improvement to an electric generating facility by an affiliated interest under a leased generation contract.
(d) The commission shall allow a public utility that has entered into a leased generation contract that has been approved by the commission under sub. (3) to recover fully in its retail rates that portion of any payments under the leased generation contract that the commission allocates to the public utility's retail electric service, and that portion of all other costs that is prudently incurred in the public utility's operation and maintenance of the electric generating facility or improvement that is subject to the leased generation contract and that the commission allocates to the public utility's retail electric service.
(e) Notwithstanding sub. (5) (a), the commission may not modify or terminate a leased generation contract approved under sub. (3) except as specified in the leased generation contract or the commission's order approving the leased generation contract.
(f) The commission shall maintain jurisdiction to ensure that the construction or improvement under a leased generation contract approved under sub. (3) is completed as provided in the leased generation contract.
(g) Nothing in this subsection prohibits a cooperative association organized under ch. 185, a municipal utility, as defined in s. 196.377 (2) (a) 3., or a municipal electric company, as defined in s. 66.0825 (3) (d), from acquiring an interest in an electric generating facility that is constructed pursuant to a leased generation contract or from acquiring an interest in land on which such an electric generating facility is located.
16,3011d
Section 3011d. 196.66 (3) (b) 1. and 3. of the statutes are amended to read:
196.66 (3) (b) 1. The appropriateness of the forfeiture to the volume of business of the public utility or telecommunications provider.
3. Any good faith attempt to achieve compliance after the public utility, telecommunications provider, agent, director, officer, or employee receives notice of the violation.
16,3011g
Section 3011g. 196.795 (5) (k) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:
196.795 (5) (k) 1. Except as provided under subd. 2. or 3., no public utility affiliate may transfer, sell, or lease to any nonutility affiliate with which it is in a holding company system any real property which, on or after November 28, 1985, is held or used for provision of utility service except by public sale or offering to the highest qualified bidder.
16,3011jc
Section 3011jc. 196.795 (5) (k) 3. of the statutes is created to read:
196.795 (5) (k) 3. For the purpose of implementing a leased generation contract, as defined in s. 196.52 (9) (a) 3., that is approved under s. 196.52 (3), a public utility affiliate may transfer to a nonutility affiliate, at book value determined on the basis of the regulated books of account at the time of the transfer, any of the following:
a. Land that is held or used for the provision of utility service.
b. Electric generating equipment or associated facilities that are located on the land on which an electric generating facility subject to a leased generation contract is to be constructed, and that are part of an electric generating facility on that land that is no longer used or useful for the provision of utility service and that has been retired from the provision of utility service.
16,3012
Section 3012. 196.85 (1) of the statutes is renumbered 196.85 (1) (a) and amended to read:
196.85 (1) (a) If the commission in a proceeding upon its own motion, on complaint, or upon an application to it deems it necessary in order to carry out the duties imposed upon it by law to investigate the books, accounts, practices, and activities of, or make appraisals of the property of any public utility, power district, or sewerage system or to render any engineering or accounting services to any public utility, power district, or sewerage system, the public utility, power district, or sewerage system shall pay the expenses attributable to the investigation, including the cost of litigation, appraisal, or service. The commission shall mail a bill for the expenses to the public utility, power district, or sewerage system either at the conclusion of the investigation, appraisal, or services, or during its progress. The bill constitutes notice of the assessment and demand of payment. The public utility, power district, or sewerage system shall, within 30 days after the mailing of the bill, pay to the commission the amount of the special expense for which it is billed. Ninety percent of the payment shall be credited to the appropriation account under s. 20.155 (1) (g). The
(b) Except as provided in sub. (1m) (a), the total amount in any one calendar year for which any public utility, power district, or sewerage system is liable
under this subsection, by reason of costs incurred by the commission within the calendar year, including charges under s. 201.10 (3), may not exceed four-fifths of one percent of its gross operating revenues derived from intrastate operations in the last preceding calendar year.
(c) Nothing in this subsection shall prevent the commission from rendering bills in one calendar year for costs incurred within a previous year.
(d) For the purpose of calculating the costs of investigations, appraisals, and other services under this subsection, 90% of the costs determined shall be costs of the commission and 10% of the costs determined shall be costs of state government operations.
16,3013
Section 3013. 196.85 (1m) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
196.85 (1m) (a) For the purpose of direct assessment under sub. (1) of expenses incurred by the commission in connection with its activities under s. 196.491, the term "public utility" includes electric utilities, as defined in s. 196.491 (1) (d). Subsection (1) (b) does not apply to assessments for the commission's activities under s. 196.491 related to the construction of wholesale merchant plants.
16,3014b
Section 3014b. 196.85 (2g) of the statutes is repealed.
16,3015
Section 3015. 196.85 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:
196.85 (3) If any public utility, sewerage system, joint local water authority, mobile home park operator or power district is billed under sub. (1), (2), or (2e) or (2g) and fails to pay the bill within 30 days or fails to file objections to the bill with the commission, as provided in this subsection, the commission shall transmit to the state treasurer a certified copy of the bill, together with notice of failure to pay the bill, and on the same day the commission shall mail by registered mail to the public utility, sewerage system, joint local water authority, mobile home park operator or power district a copy of the notice which that it has transmitted to the state treasurer. Within 10 days after receipt of the notice and certified copy of the bill, the state treasurer shall levy the amount stated on the bill to be due, with interest, by distress and sale of any property, including stocks, securities, bank accounts, evidences of debt, and accounts receivable belonging to the delinquent public utility, sewerage system, joint local water authority, mobile home park operator or power district. The levy by distress and sale shall be governed by s. 74.10, 1985 stats., except that it shall be made by the state treasurer and that goods and chattels anywhere within the state may be levied upon.
16,3016
Section 3016. 196.85 (4) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
196.85 (4) (a) Within 30 days after the date of the mailing of any bill under sub. (1), (2), or (2e)
or (2g), the public utility, sewerage system, joint local water authority, mobile home park operator or power district that has been billed may file with the commission objections setting out in detail the grounds upon which the objector regards the bill to be excessive, erroneous, unlawful, or invalid. The commission, after notice to the objector, shall hold a hearing upon the objections, from 5 to 10 days after providing the notice. If after the hearing the commission finds any part of the bill to be excessive, erroneous, unlawful, or invalid, it shall record its findings upon its minutes and transmit to the objector by registered mail an amended bill, in accordance with the findings. The amended bill shall have the same force and effect under this section as an original bill rendered under sub. (1), (2), or (2e) or (2g).
16,3017
Section 3017. 196.85 (5) of the statutes is amended to read:
196.85 (5) No suit or proceeding may be maintained in any court to restrain or delay the collection or payment of any bill rendered under sub. (1), (2), or (2e)
or (2g). Every public utility, sewerage system, joint local water authority, mobile home park operator or power district that is billed shall pay the amount of the bill, and after payment may in the manner provided under this section, at any time within 2 years from the date the payment was made, sue the state to recover the amount paid plus interest from the date of payment, upon the ground that the assessment was excessive, erroneous, unlawful, or invalid in whole or in part. If the court finds that any part of the bill for which payment was made was excessive, erroneous, unlawful, or invalid, the state treasurer shall make a refund to the claimant as directed by the court. The refund shall be charged to the appropriations to the commission.
16,3017m
Section 3017m. 196.856 of the statutes is repealed.
16,3018
Section 3018. 196.858 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
196.858 (1) The commission shall annually assess against local exchange and interexchange telecommunications utilities the total, not to exceed $5,000,000, of the amounts appropriated under s. 20.505 (4) (is)
20.530 (1) (ir).
16,3019
Section 3019. 196.858 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
196.858 (2) The commission shall assess a sum equal to the annual total amount under sub. (1) to local exchange and interexchange telecommunications utilities in proportion to their gross operating revenues during the last calendar year. If total expenditures for telephone relay service exceeded the payment made under this section in the prior year, the commission shall charge the remainder to assessed telecommunications utilities in proportion to their gross operating revenues during the last calendar year. A telecommunications utility shall pay the assessment within 30 days after the bill has been mailed to the assessed telecommunication utility. The bill constitutes notice of the assessment and demand of payment. Payments shall be credited to the appropriation account under s. 20.505 (4) (is)
20.530 (1) (ir).
16,3020d
Section 3020d. 198.167 of the statutes is amended to read:
