LRB-2034/1
JK:lmk:rs
2005 - 2006 LEGISLATURE
March 18, 2005 - Introduced by Representatives Bies, Ainsworth, Cullen,
Gunderson, Hahn, F. Lasee, Molepske, Musser, Ott and Townsend,
cosponsored by Senators A. Lasee, Erpenbach, Lassa and Olsen. Referred to
Committee on Rural Affairs and Renewable Energy.
AB245,1,2
1An Act to amend 76.28 (1) (gm) 2. of the statutes;
relating to: utility aid
2payments based on the megawatt capacity of a wind farm.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Under current law, each municipality and county receives a utility aid payment
from the state based on the megawatt capacity of each production plant located in
the municipality or county, if the production plant began operation after December
31, 2003, the production plant has a megawatt capacity of at least one megawatt, and
the production plant is used by a light, heat, or power company; a qualified wholesale
electric company, a wholesale merchant plant, an electric cooperative, or a municipal
electric company. Generally, utility aid payments are funded by the collection of
license fees imposed on companies that produce light, heat, or power.
For utility aid payment and license fee purposes, a qualified wholesale electric
company includes a wholesale merchant plant that has a total power production
capacity of at least 50 megawatts. Under this bill, for utility aid payment and license
fee purposes, a qualified wholesale electric company also includes a wholesale
merchant plant that is a wind farm located in more than one municipality or county,
if the wind farm has a cumulative power production capacity of at least 25
megawatts.
For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be
printed as an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
AB245, s. 1
1Section
1. 76.28 (1) (gm) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB245,2,52
76.28
(1) (gm) 2. A wholesale merchant plant, as defined in s. 196.491 (1) (w),
3that has a total power production capacity of at least 50 megawatts
or, in the case of
4a wind farm that is located in more than one municipality or county, a cumulative
5power production capacity of at least 25 megawatts.
AB245,2,77
(1) This act first applies to utility aid payments made in July 2005.
