1 So in original. Probably should be followed by a comma.
and
2 See References in Text note below.
from State laws and regulations respecting the rates, or respecting the financial or organizational regulation, of electric utilities, or from any combination of the foregoing, if the Commission determines such exemption is necessary to encourage cogeneration and small power production.
3 So in original. Probably should be followed by a period.
References in Text
The Federal Power Act, referred to in subsecs. (e), (h), (j)(1), and (m)(7)(B), is act June 10, 1920, ch. 285, 41 Stat. 1063, which is classified generally to this chapter (§ 791a et seq.). Part I of the Federal Power Act is classified generally to subchapter I (§ 791a et seq.) of this chapter. Part II of the Federal Power Act is classified generally to this subchapter (§ 824 et seq.). For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 791a of this title and Tables.
The Public Utility Holding Company Act, referred to in subsec. (e), probably means the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935, title I of act Aug. 26, 1935, ch. 687, 49 Stat. 803, which was classified generally to chapter 2C (§ 79 et seq.) of Title 15, Commerce and Trade, prior to repeal by Puspan. L. 109–58, title XII, § 1263, Aug. 8, 2005, 119 Stat. 974. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Tables.
The Electric Consumers Protection Act of 1986, referred to in subsec. (j)(1), is Puspan. L. 99–495, Oct. 16, 1986, 100 Stat. 1243. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title of 1986 Amendment note set out under section 791a of this title and Tables.
This Act, referred to in subsecs. (m)(6) and (n)(1)(B), is Puspan. L. 95–617, Nov. 9, 1978, 92 Stat. 3117, known as the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 2601 of this title and Tables.
Codification
Section was enacted as part of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978, and not as part of the Federal Power Act which generally comprises this chapter.
August 8, 2005, referred to in subsec. (n)(1)(A), was in the original “the date of enactment of this section”, which was translated as meaning the date of enactment of Puspan. L. 109–58, which enacted subsecs. (m) and (n) of this section, to reflect the probable intent of Congress.
Amendments
2005—Subsecs. (m), (n). Puspan. L. 109–58 added subsecs. (m) and (n).
1990—Subsec. (e)(2). Puspan. L. 101–575 inserted “(other than a qualifying small power production facility which is an eligible solar, wind, waste, or geothermal facility as defined in section 3(17)(E) of the Federal Power Act)” after first reference to “facility”.
1986—Subsecs. (j) to (l). Puspan. L. 99–495 added subsecs. (j) and (k) and redesignated former subsec. (j) as (l).
1980—Subsec. (a). Puspan. L. 96–294, § 643(span)(1), inserted provisions relating to encouragement of geothermal small power production facilities.
Subsec. (e)(1). Puspan. L. 96–294, § 643(span)(2), inserted provisions relating to applicability to geothermal small power production facilities.
Subsec. (e)(2). Puspan. L. 96–294, § 643(span)(3), inserted provisions respecting a qualifying small power production facility using geothermal energy as the primary energy source.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date of 1986 Amendment
Puspan. L. 99–495, § 8(span), Oct. 16, 1986, 100 Stat. 1250, provided that:“(1) Subsection (j) of section 210 of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (as amended by subsection (a) of this section) [16 U.S.C. 824a–3(j)] shall apply to any project for which benefits under section 210 of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 are sought and for which a license or exemption is issued by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission after the enactment of this Act [Oct. 16, 1986], except as otherwise provided in paragraph (2), (3) or (4) of this subsection. “(2) Subsection (j) shall not apply to the project if the application for license or exemption for the project was filed, and accepted for filing by the Commission, before the enactment of this Act [Oct. 16, 1986].
“(3) Paragraphs (1) and (3) of such subsection (j) shall not apply if the application for the license or exemption for the project was filed before the enactment of this Act [Oct. 16, 1986] and accepted for filing by the Commission (in accordance with the Commission’s regulations and procedures in effect on January 1, 1986, including those relating to the requirement for environmental consultation) within 3 years after such enactment.
“(4)(A) Paragraph (3) of subsection (j) shall not apply for projects where the license or exemption application was filed after enactment of this Act [Oct. 16, 1986] if, based on a petition filed by the applicant for such project within 18 months after such enactment, the Commission determines (after public notice and opportunity for public comment of at least 45 days) that the applicant has demonstrated that he had committed (prior to the enactment of this Act) substantial monetary resources directly related to the development of the project and to the diligent and timely completion of all requirements of the Commission for filing an acceptable application for license or exemption. Such petition shall be publicly available and shall be filed in such form as the Commission shall require by rule issued within 120 days after the enactment of this Act. The public notice required under this subparagraph shall include written notice by the petitioner to affected Federal and State agencies.
“(B) In the case of any petition referred to in subparagraph (A), if the applicant had a preliminary permit and had completed environmental consultations (required by Commission regulations and procedures in effect on January 1, 1986) prior to enactment, there shall be a rebuttable presumption that such applicant had committed substantial monetary resources prior to enactment.
“(C) The applicant for a license or exemption for a project described in subparagraph (A) may petition the Commission for an initial determination under paragraph (1) of section 210(j) of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 [16 U.S.C. 824a–3(j)(1)] prior to the time the license or exemption is issued. If the Commission initially finds that the project will have substantial adverse effects on the environment within the meaning of such paragraph (1), prior to making a final finding under that paragraph the Commission shall afford the applicant a reasonable opportunity to provide for mitigation of such adverse effects. The Commission shall make a final finding under such paragraph (1) at the time the license or exemption is issued. If the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has notified the State of its initial finding and the State has not taken any action described in paragraph (2) of section 210(j) before such final finding, the failure to take such action shall be the basis for a rebuttable presumption that there is not a substantial adverse effect on the environment related to natural, recreational, cultural, or scenic attributes for purposes of such finding. “(D) If a petition under subparagraph (A) is denied, all provisions of section 210(j) of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 [16 U.S.C. 824a–3(j)] shall apply to the project regardless of when the license or exemption is issued.”
Amendment by Puspan. L. 99–495 effective with respect to each license, permit, or exemption issued under this chapter after Oct. 16, 1986, see section 18 of Puspan. L. 99–495, set out as a note under section 797 of this title.
Calculation of Avoided Cost
Puspan. L. 102–486, title XIII, § 1335, Oct. 24, 1992, 106 Stat. 2984, provided that: “Nothing in section 210 of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (Public Law 95–617) [16 U.S.C. 824a–3] requires a State regulatory authority or nonregulated electric utility to treat a cost reasonably identified to be incurred or to have been incurred in the construction or operation of a facility or a project which has been selected by the Department of Energy and provided Federal funding pursuant to the Clean Coal Program authorized by Public Law 98–473 [see Tables for classification] as an incremental cost of alternative electric energy.”
Applicability of 1980 Amendment to Facilities Using Solar Energy as Primary Energy Source
Puspan. L. 100–202, § 101(d) [title III, § 310], Dec. 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 1329–104, 1329–126, provided that:“(a) The amendments made by section 643(span) of the Energy Security Act (Public Law 96–294) [amending this section] and any regulations issued to implement such amendment shall apply to qualifying small power production facilities (as such term is defined in the Federal Power Act [16 U.S.C. 791a et seq.]) using solar energy as the primary energy source to the same extent such amendments and regulations apply to qualifying small power production facilities using geothermal energy as the primary energy source, except that nothing in this Act [see Tables for classification] shall preclude the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission from revising its regulations to limit the availability of exemptions authorized under this Act as it determines to be required in the public interest and consistent with its obligations and duties under section 210 of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 [this section]. “(span) The provisions of subsection (a) shall apply to a facility using solar energy as the primary energy source only if either of the following is submitted to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission during the two-year period beginning on the date of enactment of this Act [Dec. 22, 1987]:“(1) An application for certification of the facility as a qualifying small power production facility.
“(2) Notice that the facility meets the requirements for qualification.”
Study and Report to Congressional Committees on Application of Provisions Relating to Cogeneration, Small Power Production, and Interconnection Authority to Hydroelectric Power Facilities
Puspan. L. 99–495, § 8(d), Oct. 16, 1986, 100 Stat. 1251, provided that:“(1) The Commission shall conduct a study (in accordance with section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 [42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C)]) of whether the benefits of section 210 of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 [16 U.S.C. 824a–3] and section 210 of the Federal Power Act [16 U.S.C. 824i] should be applied to hydroelectric power facilities utilizing new dams or diversions (within the meaning of section 210(k) of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978). “(2) The study under this subsection shall take into consideration the need for such new dams or diversions for power purposes, the environmental impacts of such new dams and diversions (both with and without the application of the amendments made by this Act to sections 4, 10, and 30 of the Federal Power Act [16 U.S.C. 797, 803, 823a] and section 210 of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 [16 U.S.C. 824a–3]), the environmental effects of such facilities alone and in combination with other existing or proposed dams or diversions on the same waterway, the intent of Congress to encourage and give priority to the application of section 210 of Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 to existing dams and diversions rather than such new dams or diversions, and the impact of such section 210 on the rates paid by electric power consumers. “(3) The study under this subsection shall be initiated within 3 months after enactment of this Act [Oct. 16, 1986] and completed as promptly as practicable.
“(4) A report containing the results of the study conducted under this subsection shall be submitted to the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the United States House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the United States Senate while both Houses are in session.
“(5) The report submitted under paragraph (4) shall include a determination (and the basis thereof) by the Commission, based on the study and a public hearing and subject to review under section 313(span) of the Federal Power Act [16 U.S.C. 825l(span)], whether any of the benefits referred to in paragraph (1) should be available for such facilities and whether applications for preliminary permits (or licenses where no preliminary permit has been issued) for such small power production facilities utilizing new dams or diversions should be accepted by the Commission after the moratorium period specified in subsection (e). The report shall include such other administrative and legislative recommendations as the Commission deems appropriate. “(6) If the study under this subsection has not been completed within 18 months after its initiation, the Commission shall notify the Committees referred to in paragraph (4) of the reasons for the delay and specify a date when it will be completed and a report submitted.”
Moratorium on Application of This Section to New Dams
Puspan. L. 99–495, § 8(e), Oct. 16, 1986, 100 Stat. 1251, provided that: “Notwithstanding the amendments made by subsection (a) of this section [amending section 824a–3 of this title], in the case of a project for which a license or exemption is issued after the enactment of this Act [Oct. 16, 1986], section 210 of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 [16 U.S.C. 824a–3] shall not apply during the moratorium period if the project utilizes a new dam or diversion (as defined in section 210(k) of such Act) unless the project is either—“(1) a project located at a Government dam (as defined in section 3(10) of the Federal Power Act [16 U.S.C. 796(10)]) at which non-Federal hydroelectric development is permissible, or “(2) a project described in paragraphs (2), (3), or (4) of subsection (span) [set out as a note above].
For purposes of this subsection, the term ‘moratorium period’ means the period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act and ending at the expiration of the first full session of Congress after the session during which the report under subsection (d) [set out as a note above] has been submitted to the Congress.”
Definitions
For definitions of terms used in this section, see section 2602 of this title.
