In June 2021, Nevada Legislature passed SB448 to invest $100 million in transportation electrification and direct transmission providers to join a Regional Transmission Organization (RTO) by 2030.
On the resource planning front, the legislation requires utilities to prepare resource plans that facilitate the state meeting its renewable portfolio standard and GHG reduction goals, expand transmission access to renewable energy zones, and support the development of regional transmission interconnections. Those regional transmission interconnections will be essential for meeting the requirement, also in this legislation, that utilities join a Regional Transmission Organization by 2030 (barring a successful waiver application).
On transportation electrification, the bill creates a long-term transportation electrification planning process and specifies near term investment of $100 million into 5 programs: 1) An Interstate Corridor Charging Depot Program; 2) An Urban Charging Depot Program; 3) A Public Agency Electric Vehicle Charging Program; 4) A Transit, School Bus, and Transportation Electrification Custom Program; and 5) An Outdoor Recreation and Tourism Program. This plan must include proposed rate changes, and requires that not less than 40% of the total program expenditures must be dedicated to investments made in, or for the benefit of, historically underserved communities.
The legislation also addresses efficiency and storage in utilities’ integrated resource plans, increasing the required amount of energy efficiency program expenditures directed towards low-income communities from 5% to 10%, and allowing energy storage systems to take advance of the renewable energy partial tax abatement program.