A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to direct the joint legislative commission on energy policy to study investment to enhance and modernize the electrical grid.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  The Joint Legislative Commission on Energy Policy (Commission) shall complete a comprehensive study of known and measurable costs and benefits of grid modernization investment by investor‑owned electric public utilities. The study shall include an analysis of the need to enhance and modernize the electrical transmission and distribution grid in the State to ensure an electrical grid that is resilient, secure, capable of meeting future demand growth, and able to integrate new technologies.
SECTION 2.  Each public utility that distributes electricity in this State shall, to the fullest extent possible, cooperate with the Commission with any information it requests in the course of completing the study provided for in this act.
SECTION 3.  The Commission must complete this study and report its findings and recommendations to the 2017 General Assembly by March 1, 2018.
SECTION 4.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Commission the sum of three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000) for the 2017‑2018 fiscal year to conduct the study required by this act. The Commission may hire consultants to assist with the study as provided in G.S. 120‑32.02(b).
SECTION 5.  This act is effective when it becomes law.