Abundant Affordable Clean Energy - Procurement and Development (AACE Act)

HB 398, the AACE Act, requires Maryland electric companies to submit plans for installing energy storage devices and construct them as approved. It creates "zero-emission credits" for nuclear facilities and establishes two new renewable energy programs: the Utility-Scale SREC-II Program for large solar projects and the Small Solar Facilities Incentive Program. The bill also changes how certain fees from data centers are distributed, directs alternative compliance fees into a new escrow account instead of the Strategic Energy Fund, and modifies transmission system analysis requirements for offshore wind projects. These provisions directly affect electric utilities, nuclear operators, renewable energy developers, and data center operators in Maryland.