Summary Brief
SB 106 AN ACT CONCERNING THE DIVERSITY OF BASELOAD ENERGY SUPPLIES IN THE STATE AND
ACHIEVING CONNECTICUT’S GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS MANDATED LEVELS
SB 106 intends to secure the future of existing, in-state environmentally beneficial plants that produce
energy around the clock, and also contribute to the economic stability of the state. Unlike wind and
solar, “baseload” plants keep producing electricity in spite of the weather conditions and they are
critical to ensuring the environmental quality and electric system reliability. In addition, these plants
provide man Connecticut residents with permanent, skilled jobs and keep electric prices stable and low
for all Connecticut consumers. Some of these plants include nuclear, clean biomass and waste to energy
plants.
The bill also incentivizes the construction of new baseload resources in Connecticut, including wind and
solar when paired with energy storage, fuel cells and anaerobic digesters.
Section 1 requires the DEEP to conduct procurements for these resources, provided he finds the
proposals are in the best interest of consumers.
SB 106, Sections 2 and 3, extend Connecticut’s Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) to 40% by 2040. The
RPS is a renewable energy program that requires the electric utilities and competitive suppliers in the
state purchase a specific minimum percentage of renewable energy to serve their customers. The
current RPS stops at 20% by 2020. SB 106 provides the mechanism for Connecticut to steadily increase
the percentage of clean, Class I and Class II energy resources to achieve 40% of Connecticut’s energy use
by 2040. Class I sources include wind, hydro, fuel cells, anaerobic digesters, clean biomass and solar.
Section 4 of SB 106 allows the utilities to partner with fuel cells to install up to 10 megawatts in fuel cell
projects on the utilities’ electric distribution network, where these projects improve the reliability and
defer costly infrastructure upgrades to the distribution system that serves Connecticut’s homes and
businesses.