House Status:
Senate Status:
Senate Status:
Minutes for HB2640 - Committee on Water and Environment
Short Title
Requiring the state corporation commission to provide for public comment concerning regional transmission organizations.
Minutes Content for Thu, Feb 15, 2018
The Chair called the meeting to order and opened the hearing on HB2640.
Staff Nick Myers briefed the Committee on the bill (Attachment 1). He said that current law authorizes the Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) to participate in all decision-making bodies of the Southwest Power Pool. This bill would require the KCC to provide at least four opportunities annually for public comment regarding regional transmission issues.
Proponents
Jim Zakoura, Kansas Industrial Consumers Group, testified as a proponent, saying that currently customers have little input regarding transmission issues that impact Kansans (Attachment 2). He stated that the bill will allow a diverse range of consumers more opportunity to have a voice on transmission charges.
Phil Wages, Kansas Electric Power Cooperative, provided written-only testimony (Attachment 3).
David Nickel, Consumer Counsel, Citizens' Utility Ratepayer Board, also provided written-only testimony (Attachment 5).
Neutral
Patrick Smith, Westar Energy, stated that the bill is duplicative, since it adds another layer of hearings. The KCC is already authorized to be involved in the decision-making process for the principals in setting rates and is thorough and effective in its exercise of oversight responsibilities (Attachment 4). Responding to a question, he said that the KCC receives hundreds of comments from the public. Representative Schreiber commented that the Southwest Power Pool, through a complex process, cooperatively weighs costs and arrives at the lowest rate.
There were no opponents.
The Chair closed the hearing on HB2640.
