By Rose Law Group Reporter
Getting state approval to build the transmission lines necessary to connect batteries and solar to the grid has been a growing problem in Arizona for the last couple years.
To build new lines, applicants would have to wait upwards of two years just to get a hearing on the gen-tie for their clean energy projects. This timeline caused uncertainty, created risk, and was a drag on the state’s otherwise robust move toward renewables.
This all changed over the last couple days, with the signing of HB2496 and a key move by the Arizona Power Plant and Transmission Line Siting Committee.
First, HB2496 was a GOP sponsored bill that would allow some very short transmission lines to avoid the line siting process altogether. Despite vetoing a flurry of GOP sponsored bills already this year, Governor Katie Hobbs signed HB2496 on Wednesday. There was some uncertainty about how the Governor would react to the bill that had opposition from several key environmental organizations, but the Governor removed that doubt by signing the bill.
“Governor Hobbs showed she understands the business of renewable energy development and understands that unnecessary administrative burdens can slow, or even stop what are otherwise much needed clean energy projects,” said Court Rich, co-founder of Rose Law Group and director of the firm’s renewable energy and utility infrastructure departments.
While HB2496 will help only a handful of pending projects for now, the line siting committee voted on Tuesday to permit its Chairman, Adam Stafford, to act as a hearing officer to expedite cases for lines sited outside Maricopa County.
This means instead of hearing only one or two cases a month when the full committee membership is available, the Chairman can now hear several cases a week and make recommendations to the full committee that can then move through several applications every time they get together.
“This is where the real impact is going to be felt for most solar developers,” said Rich. “Now, instead of waiting two years for a hearing, you should be able to move forward in front of the Chairman quite quickly, which will alleviate the backlog and unleash lots of clean energy potential.”
