HB 2223 — An Act amending Title 66 (Public Utilities) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in service and facilities, providing for advanced transmission technologies.

PRIOR PRINTER'S NO.

2952 PRINTER'STHE NO.GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA HOUSE BILL Session of No.

3177 THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA HOUSE BILL Session of No.

HARRIS, BOYD,BOYD CURRY, HANBIDGE AND DOUGHERTY,CURRY, MARCH 3, 2026 ASREFERRED REPORTEDTO FROM COMMITTEE ON ENERGY, HOUSEMARCH OF3, REPRESENTATIVES, AS AMENDED, APRIL 13, 2026 AN ACT AmendingAmeConsolidated Title 66 (Public Utilities) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in service and facilities, providing for advanced transmission technologies.

(a) Submission of evidence.--The following shall apply to <-- each transmission siting application or letter of notification filed with the commission under 52 Pa.

(A)(c) APPLICABILITY.--THISConstruction.--Nothing SECTIONin SHALLthis APPLYsection TOshall EACHbe <--construed TRANSMISSIONto SITINGlimit APPLICATIONthe FILEDcommission's WITHauthority THEunder COMMISSIONany UNDERother 52provision PA.of law to regulate a public utility service or facility.

CODE(d) CH.Definitions.--As used in this section, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this subsection unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

57 SUBCH.

G (RELATING TO COMMISSION REVIEW OF SITING AND CONSTRUCTION OF ELECTRIC TRANSMISSION LINES) AND EACH LETTER OF NOTIFICATION IN LIEU OF APPLICATION FILED WITH THE COMMISSION UNDER 52 PA.

CODE CH.

57 (RELATING TO ELECTRIC SERVICE).

(B) EVIDENCE OF EVALUATION.--AN APPLICANT SHALL PROVIDE TO THE COMMISSION EVIDENCE THAT THE APPLICANT EVALUATED AND ASSESSED THE USE OF ADVANCED TRANSMISSION TECHNOLOGIES FOR ANY 20260HB2223PN3177 - 2 - OF THE FOLLOWING:

(1) EXISTING TRANSMISSION INFRASTRUCTURE.

(2) PROPOSED TRANSMISSION INFRASTRUCTURE AND UPGRADES IDENTIFIED IN THE APPLICATION OR LETTER OF NOTIFICATION, INCLUDING INFRASTRUCTURE FOR WHICH THE PROPOSED VOLTAGE WOULD BE INCREASED ABOVE EXISTING LEVELS AND INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WOULD BE RECONDUCTORED OR RECONSTRUCTED WITHIN THE JURISDICTION OF THE COMMISSION.

(C) COMMISSION DETERMINATION.--THE COMMISSION MAY NOT GRANT AN APPLICATION OR APPROVE A LETTER OF NOTIFICATION UNDER SUBSECTION (A), EITHER AS PROPOSED OR AS MODIFIED, UNLESS THE COMMISSION DETERMINES, IN ADDITION TO ANY OTHER APPLICABLE REQUIREMENTS UNDER STATE LAW, THAT THE PROPOSED TRANSMISSION INFRASTRUCTURE INCORPORATES ALL TECHNICALLY FEASIBLE AND COST- EFFECTIVE ADVANCED TRANSMISSION TECHNOLOGIES.

(D) COMMISSION REQUIREMENTS.--NO LATER THAN ONE YEAR AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SUBSECTION, THE COMMISSION SHALL ADOPT REGULATIONS, ORDERS OR STATEMENTS OF POLICY SPECIFYING THE ADVANCED TRANSMISSION TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT REQUIREMENTS AND METHODS THAT AN APPLICANT SHALL USE TO SATISFY SUBSECTION (B).

(c) (E) Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be <-- construed to limit the commission's authority under any other provision of STATE law to regulate a public utility service or <-- facility.

(d) (F) Definitions.--As used in this section, the following <-- words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this subsection unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

<-- 20260HB2223PN3177 - 3 - "Advanced transmission technologies." A software or hardware <--20260HB2223PN2952 - 2 - technology that increases the capacity, efficiency, reliability or safety of an existing or new electric transmission system, including grid-enhancing technologies such as dynamic line rating, advanced power flow controllers and topology optimization software, high-performance conductors and other technologies designed to reduce transmission congestion.

"ADVANCED"Dynamic TRANSMISSIONline TECHNOLOGIES."rating." ANYA OFsystem THEthat FOLLOWING:uses real-time or forecasted weather and operating conditions, including wind speed and direction, to determine the transfer capacity of a transmission line.

<--"High-performance (1)conductor." GRID-ENHANCINGA TECHNOLOGIES,conductor INCLUDINGused DYNAMICin LINEan RATING,electric ADVANCEDtransmission POWERsystem, FLOWincluding CONTROLLERcarbon ANDfiber TOPOLOGYconductors, OPTIMIZATIONcomposite SOFTWARE.core conductors and superconductors, to which the following apply:

(2) HIGH-PERFORMANCE CONDUCTORS.

(3) ANY OTHER TECHNOLOGY IDENTIFIED BY THE COMMISSION THAT MAY AVOID THE CONSTRUCTION OF NEW TRANSMISSION INFRASTRUCTURE, INCREASE THE CAPACITY, EFFICIENCY OR RELIABILITY OF THE TRANSMISSION SYSTEM, REDUCE TRANSMISSION SYSTEM CONGESTION, REDUCE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OR PROVIDE OTHER BENEFITS TO THE TRANSMISSION SYSTEM.

"ALUMINUM CONDUCTOR STEEL REINFORCED CONDUCTOR." A STRANDED OVERHEAD ELECTRICAL CONDUCTOR COMPOSED OF ONE OR MORE LAYERS OF HARD-DRAWN ALUMINUM WIRE HELICALLY LAID AROUND A CENTRAL CORE OF GALVANIZED OR OTHERWISE COATED STEEL STRANDS, DESIGNED TO PROVIDE ENHANCED TENSILE STRENGTH AND ELECTRICAL CONDUCTIVITY FOR TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION APPLICATIONS.

"Dynamic line rating." A system that uses real-time or AND <-- forecasted weather and operating conditions, including wind speed and direction, to determine the transfer capacity of a transmission line.

"High-performance conductor." A conductor used in an <-- electric transmission system, including carbon fiber conductors, 20260HB2223PN3177 - 4 - composite core conductors and superconductors, to which the following apply:

"HIGH-PERFORMANCE CONDUCTOR." A CONDUCTOR USED IN AN <-- ELECTRIC TRANSMISSION SYSTEM, INCLUDING A CARBON FIBER CONDUCTOR, COMPOSITE CORE CONDUCTOR OR SUPERCONDUCTOR, THAT HAS ALL OF THE FOLLOWING:

(1) A SIMILAR DIAMETER AND WEIGHT AS A TRADITIONAL ALUMINUM CONDUCTOR STEEL REINFORCED CONDUCTOR.

(2) A DIRECT ELECTRICAL RESISTANCE THAT IS AT LEAST 10% LOWER THAN A TRADITIONAL ALUMINUM CONDUCTOR STEEL REINFORCED CONDUCTOR OF A SIMILAR DIAMETER AND WEIGHT.

(3) AN ENERGY-CARRYING CAPACITY THAT IS AT LEAST 75% GREATER THAN A TRADITIONAL ALUMINUM CONDUCTOR STEEL REINFORCED CONDUCTOR OF A SIMILAR DIAMETER AND WEIGHT.

"TOPOLOGY OPTIMIZATION SOFTWARE." SOFTWARE THAT IDENTIFIES SWITCHING CONFIGURATIONS TO REROUTE ELECTRICITY AND ALLEVIATE TRANSMISSION CONSTRAINTS.

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