Overview
- The Senate approved SB 484 on a 31-6 vote after accepting House revisions, sending the measure to the governor’s desk.
- Final language keeps a prohibition on shifting grid and service costs to the general body of ratepayers, applying those expenses to large-load customers.
- House changes scrapped a proposed 5-mile siting limit and some disclosure mandates, and allow economic development agencies to keep major data center plans confidential for up to a year, which drew bipartisan concern in the Senate.
- The bill orders an OPPAGA study of local, resource and rate impacts of large-scale data centers, with findings due by July 1.
- Public utilities must file tariffs that comply with the new framework by Oct. 1 under the timelines set in the legislation.