Senate committee backs bill saying data centers should bear marginal upgrade costs, preserves sunset dates for equipment exemptions
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Summary
A substitute to SB410, incorporating language from SB34, states legislative intent that new large‑load electricity customers should bear marginal costs, clarifies treatment of computer equipment and data‑center certificates and preserves equipment sunset dates; the committee passed the substitute.
The Finance Committee approved a substitute version of SB410 that clarifies legislative intent that the marginal cost of providing electric service to new large‑load customers — such as data centers — should be borne by those customers rather than by residential or retail electricity customers.
Chairman Brass told the committee the substitute incorporates language that came from prior committee work and places the intent language into the notes to the code so courts could consult it if needed. The substitute also carries provisions on equipment sunsets: existing certificate rights for data centers were not changed, computer equipment exemptions were set to sunset on 01/01/2028, and the larger data‑center certificate date remains at 01/01/2032 unless extended.
Members described the measure as a compromise aimed at protecting households from cost shifts while preserving certainty for current projects. Several senators expressed concerns about future sunsets and said they expect follow‑up conversations before the 2028 and 2032 dates arrive. The committee passed the substitute by voice vote and the sponsor will carry the bill forward.
