(The Center Square) – A group of Wisconsin Republicans introduced an updated version of its failed right of first refusal law, hoping changes in the new version will win over enough support for the measure to pass the Legislature in the coming month.
Dubbed the Wisconsin Energy Reform Act, the new bill would include bidding controls and restrictions for interstate and intrastate electrical transmission lines rather than simply allowing those companies already operating in Wisconsin to exclusively bid first before other companies can bid on the work.
Bill supporters noted that the current process is not an open market and bids are not awarded based upon the lowest bid but instead the bidding controls are regulated by the Federal Electricity Regulatory Commission, which determines the rate of return that operators of high-capacity transmission lines are allowed to earn.
“For anyone to somehow believe that our current process for siting transmission lines is competitive or free market is just wrong,” said Rep. Rob Brooks, R-Saukville. “Wisconsin can show the rest of the nation how we can inject competitive bidding into the construction process for transmission lines and hopefully lower cost for consumers.”
A pair of Wisconsin groups recently warned that a right of first refusal reprisal would be arriving in the coming week, warning against the proposal.
“This is a dangerous, anti-competitive policy that Wisconsinites already rejected once,” said a spokesperson for H.O.T. Government, a watchdog group working to expose backroom deals in the Capitol. “Now lawmakers are hoping you’re not paying attention. Don’t let them get away with it.”
The new energy bill also added a stipulation where, for each acre of high-productivity farmland used for renewable energy projects, multiple acres of farmland must be protected for future agricultural use.
That stipulation came upon the recommendation of Rep. Travis Tranel, R-Cuba City, who is the chair of the Assembly Agriculture Committee.
“I worked hard to strike the right balance to protect prime farmland for generations of farmers to come, while still recognizing the need to protect private property owners and the reality that energy generation in Wisconsin will likely always include renewable sources,” Tranel said.
The bill will first head to the Energy and Utilities Committee before Speaker Robin Vos hopes to have it heard on the Assembly floor later this month.
It also includes a plan to incentivize nuclear energy, supported by Energy and Utilities chairman, Rep. David Steffen, R-Howard.
“This has the potential to attract billions of dollars in investments to Wisconsin,” said Steffen. “By prioritizing low-carbon-emitting nuclear energy as a strategy in energy generation, we will help position Wisconsin to meet the increased electricity demands of today and lay the groundwork Wisconsin needs to be able to attract large electricity technology companies looking to locate their operations in Wisconsin,” Steffen said.
