Energy

Department of Environmental Protection; Removes provisions creating the Environmental Regulation Commission; requires certain solar facility permit applicants to incorporate certain protections in the development and implementation of erosion and sediment control plans for the construction of such facilities; specifies requirements for such plans; revises the date by which certain major permitted sources of air pollution must pay an annual operation license fee; ratifies specified rules relating to the Lower Santa Fe and Ichetucknee Rivers and Priority Springs minimum flows and recovery strategy for the sole and exclusive purpose of satisfying any condition on effectiveness pursuant to provisions which require ratification of any rule exceeding the specified thresholds for likely adverse impact or increase in regulatory costs, etc.

Advanced Nuclear Reactors; Granting the Florida Public Service Commission the sole authority to regulate advanced nuclear reactors in this state; requiring the commission, the Department of Health, and the Department of Environmental Protection to jointly establish criteria for the certification of laboratories that perform analysis on nuclear materials for certain purposes; revising the criteria the commission must consider in its preliminary study of electric utility 10-year site plans; revising requirements for the development of certain standards by electric utilities, etc.

Residential Utility Disconnections; Prohibiting an electric utility, a public utility, or a water utility from disconnecting service to residential customers for nonpayment of bills or fees under specified circumstances; requiring such utilities to waive reconnection fees and late fees in certain circumstances; prohibiting such utilities from recovering from customers any fee or expense incurred in complying with the act; requiring that all notices of nonpayment of bills and fees provide an offer of bill payment assistance or provide certain information, etc.

Advanced Nuclear Reactors; Authorizes PSC to regulate advanced nuclear reactors in this state; authorizes DOH & DEP to exercise specified powers & duties; requires PSC, DOH, & DEP to jointly establish criteria for certification of laboratories that perform analysis on nuclear materials; authorizes possession of nuclear material for specified purposes; requires permits for transfer, receipt, possession, use, storage, or disposal of nuclear materials; requires certifications for significant design modifications of small modular reactors; requires PSC to make certain determinations before issuing such permits & certifications; authorizes PSC to issue reciprocal permits under certain conditions; requires commission, after consultation with DEP & DOH, to adopt rules; revises criteria PSC must consider in preliminary study of electric utility 10-year site plans & in making determinations for proposed power plants; revises requirements for development of certain standards by electric utilities; removes such requirement for rural cooperatives; revises applicability of power plant capacity & expansion thresholds.

Resilient Buildings; Authorizes owners of resilient buildings to receive certain tax credits; provides requirements for tax credit application, receipt, amounts, eligibility, & use; creates Florida Resilient Building Advisory Council; provides duties & requirements for membership of such council.

Utilities; Authorizing a county to adopt an ordinance for the decommissioning of certain solar facilities that have reached the end of their useful life; authorizing a county to require financial assurance from a solar facility owner to establish that the solar facility owner has the capability to satisfy the estimated cost of decommissioning the solar facility; requiring that improvements included in certain transmission and distribution storm protection plans have forecasted customer benefits that exceed their forecasted cost, etc.

Utilities; Authorizes counties to adopt ordinance for decommissioning of certain solar facilities; provides for rebuttal of certain presumptions; requires DEP to develop, revise, & update best management practices for construction of solar facilities; requires solar facility operators to implement specified BMPs; revises factors that PSC must consider in reviewing such plans; requires PSC to submit proposed rule for adoption by specified date.

Consumer Fairness in Utility Rates; Requires certain municipalities to impose same utility rates, fees, & charges on consumers within its municipal boundaries & boundaries of recipient municipality; prohibits such municipalities from imposing surcharges on consumers within boundaries of recipient municipality unless certain conditions are met; prohibits certain use of such surcharges; requires such municipalities to hold certain public hearings; requires certain municipalities to file specified reports with PSC; requires PSC to review certain consumer disputes & make certain determinations.