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Senate committee backs microgrid oversight bill after split debate over data centers

Senate Tax, Business and Transportation Committee · February 12, 2026
AI-Generated Content: All content on this page was generated by AI to highlight key points from the meeting. For complete details and context, we recommend watching the full video. so we can fix them.

Summary

The Senate Tax, Business and Transportation Committee recommended SB235 on a 6–4 vote, advancing a bill that would require large 'microgrids' (20 MW threshold) powering data centers to meet renewable-energy minimums, bar rate-shifting to customers, and give the Public Regulation Commission oversight and annual reporting duties.

A Senate committee on Thursday recommended approval of SB235, a bill that would subject large microgrids and data centers to minimum renewable-energy standards, new reporting requirements and Public Regulation Commission oversight.

The sponsor, Sen. [Steinborn] (transcript speaker identified as sponsor in hearing), framed the measure as a response to rapid data-center development — citing a proposed ‘Project Jupiter’ in southern Doña Ana County — and said the bill would require covered microgrids to meet the same renewable portfolio baseline used for utilities (40 percent) and prohibit utilities from…

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