PPA Raises Concerns Regarding Senate Bill 435

A Senate bill that would require electric utilities to submit plans for the extensive expansion of the electric vehicle charging infrastructure is being considered again this session.

Senate Bill 435 (Mensch-R-Montgomery) would establish deadlines for the build out of charging and establish that process to be under regulation of the Public Utility Commission.

The PPA (and other entities ) have raised concerns about the proposal. For example, the bill would provide that utilities would be able to pass on a portion of the cost of charging stations to existing  rate payers.

PPA has also raised the potential of the serious unfair competitive advantage that utilities that would enter the recharging market would have over convenience stores desiring to install these facilities.

The uneven playing field would result if utilities had the authority to select stores and then subsequently set the cost of the electricity supplied while operating their own recharging stations in the same market.

The bill has cleared the Senate Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Committee and is awaiting action by the Senate.

The bill passed that body last year, but was not taken up by the State House.

Please visit our Bill’s We’re Watching webpage to learn more about Senate Bill 435 and view other legislation being tracked by the PPA.

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