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House approves bill requiring utilities to evaluate advanced transmission technologies
Summary
The Colorado House passed HB 10‑81 after floor debate and several amendments; the bill requires utilities to consider advanced transmission tools in planning and reporting to improve reliability, reduce costs, and strengthen oversight by the Colorado Electric Transmission Authority and the PUC.
The Colorado House on March 5 adopted House Bill 10‑81, a measure that requires utilities to evaluate so‑called advanced transmission technologies when developing transmission plans and to report to the legislature on those evaluations.
Supporters, including the House majority leader, said the bill encourages “speed to power” by prioritizing tools that make existing lines more productive rather than defaulting to new line construction. “This bill is about speed to power and saving money,” the majority leader said, arguing early deployment of dynamic ratings and other technologies can reduce outages and wildfire risk while avoiding years of permitting and expensive new right‑of‑way work.
Sponsors and backers framed the bill as a planning and evaluation requirement, not a construction mandate: utilities must analyze where grid‑enhancing technologies are cost‑effective and explain why they were or were not deployed. An initial committee amendment (L007) — described from the floor as a friendly amendment to ensure evaluation of additional technologies and to align with utilities and labor partners — was adopted. A later technical amendment (L004), offered by the sponsor in coordination with stakeholders, was also adopted. An amendment intended to put stronger market‑efficiency checks on cost recovery (L006) was rejected by the House.
Opponents warned about how regulators’ incentives and investor returns influence transmission decisions. Representative de Graaf cautioned that an ‘‘investor‑focused’’ utility model and the current Public Utilities Commission incentive structure could encourage overbuilding, saying the PUC’s allowed return “creates a perverse incentive for more infrastructure” and risks raising costs for ratepayers.
The legislation also strengthens coordination through the Colorado Electric Transmission Authority and adds annual reporting requirements to increase legislative oversight of transmission planning. Backers said the language preserves flexibility for the Public Utilities Commission to refine technical performance thresholds as technologies evolve.
After amendment votes and floor debate, the committee report was adopted and the bill passed on third reading.
Votes and next steps: The House adopted the committee report as amended and passed HB 10‑81 on third reading. The bill will proceed per legislative process to the next stage for enrolment and transmission to the Senate (if applicable in the calendar sequence).
