AN ACT CONCERNING CERTAIN PROCEEDINGS RELATING TO ELECTRIC TRANSMISSION LINES AND THE MEMBERSHIP AND PROCESSES OF THE CONNECTICUT SITING COUNCIL.

This bill updates Connecticut laws to include large electric transmission lines in the regulatory process managed by the Connecticut Siting Council. It specifically defines transmission lines with a capacity of sixty-nine kilovolts or more as "affecting facilities," which subjects them to the same environmental review and public participation requirements as other major infrastructure projects. The legislation also adjusts the financial rules for these proceedings by raising the municipal participation fee to seventy-five thousand dollars and increasing the reimbursement limit for towns involved in the process. Additionally, the bill requires applicants to provide detailed information about proposed transmission routes, including maps, cost estimates, and justifications for why specific paths were chosen over alternatives. These changes aim to ensure that communities have a clearer voice and adequate resources when large power lines are proposed for construction.