Energy committee holds organizational meeting; introduces two bills and reports AT&T-KCC agreement pending signatures

Rep. Leo Delperdang, chairman of the Committee on Energy, Utilities and Telecommunications, opened the organizational meeting with member roll call and invited industry stakeholders to introduce themselves before the session moved to bill introductions and a recap of interim work.

Paul Snyder, representing Kansans for Lower Electric Rates, asked the committee to introduce RS 2468, the “True Act,” saying the proposal is intended to “control transmission cost, improve transparency, and enhance customer generation options.” Snyder said he looks forward to working with the committee on the bill.

Patrick Vulzberg of Kansas Gas Service requested committee introduction of RS 2640, titled the Kansas Natural Gas Infrastructure Availability Act, which he described as addressing a deferral mechanism and an interim recovery mechanism for natural gas investments.

Delperdang provided a brief recap of the committee’s Nov. 21 interim meeting, which included presentations from the Kansas Corporation Commission and telecom companies about right-of-way access, facility relocation costs and application inconsistencies across municipalities. He summarized work on AT&T’s petition involving Eligible Telecommunications Carrier (ETC) designation, saying the Kansas Corporation Commission and AT&T had negotiated a solution and that AT&T’s senior counsel had signed an agreement.

"So as far as I am concerned this year, the issue is closed as far as any bills," Delperdang said, adding that the signed document had been forwarded to the Kansas Corporation Commission for further signatures.

Lynn Ritz of the Kansas Corporation Commission cautioned that "the final agreement has not been signed, sealed, and delivered," and said the commission would comment once the final agreement is available. That remark left the matter described as resolved by the chairman but still awaiting formal completion of paperwork.

Delperdang said he expects additional bills to be filed in the coming days and emphasized he will not schedule matters for hearing until members have had adequate time to review documents prepared by the reviser’s office. The meeting concluded without formal votes; the two committee-introduced bills were presented for introduction and will be scheduled for future hearings at the committee’s discretion.

Among attendees were representatives of Kansas Gas Service, Evergy, Cox Communications, Kansas Electric Power Cooperative (KEPCO), Black Hills Energy, ITC, and a range of trade and municipal utility representatives who introduced themselves to the committee at the start of the session. The committee adjourned with plans to circulate rules and forthcoming bill drafts to members before scheduling hearings.