Florida Senate - 2026 SB 1482
By Senator Bernard
24-01236-26 20261482__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to electric utility 10-year site
3 plans; amending s. 186.801, F.S.; revising
4 requirements for estimates included in the 10-year
5 site plan; requiring the Florida Public Service
6 Commission to issue a final order within a specified
7 timeframe after receiving a proposed plan; authorizing
8 the commission to reject such plan under certain
9 circumstances; requiring electric utilities to submit
10 a revised plan within a specified timeframe upon such
11 rejection; requiring the commission to adopt
12 procedures for consideration and approval of such
13 plans; requiring the commission to hold public
14 hearings under certain circumstances; authorizing the
15 commission to hold a hearing under certain
16 circumstances; requiring the commission to grant
17 certain petitions or requests to intervene in such
18 hearings; authorizing electric utilities to submit
19 plans at any time at the discretion of the utility;
20 prohibiting an electric utility from filing an
21 application for certification under certain
22 circumstances; revising the factors the commission
23 must consider in its review of such plan; authorizing
24 the commission to adopt certain rules; providing an
25 effective date.
26
27 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
28
29 Section 1. Section 186.801, Florida Statutes, is amended to
30 read:
31 186.801 Ten-year site plans.—
32 (1) Each electric utility shall submit to the Public
33 Service Commission a 10-year site plan that estimates which
34 shall estimate its anticipated demand, its power-generating
35 needs, the impact of planned demand-side management measures on
36 such generating needs, and the general location of its proposed
37 power plant sites.
38 (2) The 10-year plan must shall be reviewed and submitted
39 not less frequently than every 2 years.
40 (3)(2) Within 9 months after the receipt of the proposed
41 plan, the commission shall issue a final order approving,
42 approving with amendments, or rejecting such make a preliminary
43 study of such plan and classify it as “suitable” or
44 “unsuitable.” The commission may suggest alternatives to the
45 plan.
46 (a) The commission may reject such plan if the plan does
47 not comply with this section and commission rules.
48 (b) Following any final order rejecting a plan, an electric
49 utility shall submit a revised plan for approval within 60 days
50 after such order.
51 (c) The commission shall adopt procedures for consideration
52 and approval of each electric utility’s plans consistent with
53 chapter 120. The commission shall hold a public hearing for a
54 plan submitted by a public utility as defined in s. 366.02 and
55 may hold a hearing upon the filing of a petition or request for
56 hearing for a plan submitted by an electric utility.
57 Notwithstanding chapter 120 or any other law, the commission
58 must grant a petition or request to intervene if participation
59 by the party submitting such petition or request is in the
60 public interest and will not unduly impair the efficiency or
61 administration of the proceeding.
62 (4) All findings of the commission must shall be made
63 available to the Department of Environmental Protection for its
64 consideration at any subsequent electrical power plant site
65 certification proceedings.
66 (5) It is recognized that 10-year site plans submitted by
67 an electric utility are tentative information for planning
68 purposes only and may be amended and submitted for approval at
69 any time at the discretion of the utility upon written
70 notification to the commission. An electric utility may not file
71 an A complete application for certification of an electrical
72 power plant site under chapter 403, when such site is not
73 designated in the current 10-year site plan of the applicant,
74 shall constitute an amendment to the 10-year site plan.
75 (6) Before issuing its final order, the commission shall
76 review such plan to determine whether it is reasonable and in
77 the best interest of the utility’s customers in this state. In
78 its review preliminary study of such each 10-year site plan, the
79 commission shall consider such plan as a planning document and
80 shall review:
81 (a) The need, including the need as determined by the
82 commission, for electrical power in the area to be served.
83 (b) The adequacy and cost-effectiveness of planned
84 generation, transmission, and distribution resources relative to
85 other available options.
86 (c) The benefits of energy resources sited within this
87 state which reduce the state’s reliance on energy and fuels
88 imported from outside this state.
89 (d) The impact of the plan on future regulatory risks and
90 compliance costs and the impacts of those risks and costs on the
91 utility’s customers.
92 (e) The adequacy of total demand-side management measures
93 proposed by the utility to mitigate its need for new generation.
94 (f)(b) The effect on fuel diversity within this the state.
95 (g)(c) The anticipated environmental impact of each
96 proposed electrical power plant site.
97 (h)(d) Possible alternatives to the proposed plan,
98 including alternative technologies for proposed resources.
99 (i)(e) The views of appropriate local, state, and federal
100 agencies, including the views of the appropriate water
101 management district as to the availability of water and its
102 recommendation as to the use by the proposed plant of salt water
103 or fresh water for cooling purposes.
104 (j)(f) The extent to which the plan is consistent with the
105 state comprehensive plan.
106 (k)(g) The plan with respect to the information of the
107 state on energy availability and consumption.
108 (l)(h) The amount of renewable energy resources the utility
109 produces or purchases.
110 (m)(i) The amount of renewable energy resources the utility
111 plans to produce or purchase over the 10-year planning horizon
112 and the means by which the production or purchases will be
113 achieved.
114 (n)(j) A statement describing how the production and
115 purchase of renewable energy resources impact the utility’s
116 present and future capacity and energy needs.
117 (7)(3) In order to enable it to carry out its duties under
118 this section, the commission may, after hearing, establish an
119 administrative fee that may not a study fee which shall not
120 exceed $1,000 for each proposed plan studied.
121 (8)(4) The commission may adopt rules governing the method
122 of submitting, processing, and approving studying the 10-year
123 plans as required by this section, including the required
124 contents of such plans and procedures for intervention and
125 discovery in the plan review proceedings.
126 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.