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Senate unveils energy affordability plan aimed at cutting utility bills; heavy floor debate follows
Summary
SB 254 would change rate-making, securitize utility investments, return more cap-and-trade revenue to ratepayers and create a clean energy infrastructure authority; proponents forecast large, long-term savings while opponents warned of new costs and regulatory uncertainty.
Senator Ben Becker presented SB 254, a comprehensive package of reforms the Senate described as the largest legislative effort in years to rein in rising electricity costs and accelerate clean-energy deployment. Floor debate was extensive and partisan, with backers forecasting multi‑billion-dollar savings over time and opponents warning the bill could raise costs or create new bureaucracies.
Becker said the bill contains nine major provisions to improve spending decisions, lower development costs and return more money to ratepayers. Key elements include returning 100% of utilities’ cap-and-trade proceeds to customers through the climate dividend (the…
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