SB 23-062

Senate Bill 23-062, titled "Utility Vendors Report Best Value Metrics," requires the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to create rules that mandate electric utilities to report on how they are implementing employment metrics that benefit Colorado workers and communities. This information must be included in annual progress reports submitted by utilities for new electricity projects. The bill also calls for the PUC to provide an annual summary of this data to state lawmakers. It has been signed into law, meaning utilities will now need to start collecting and reporting this information as required by the new rules from the PUC.

Official Summary

Legislative Audit Committee. Under current law, when the public utilities commission (PUC) evaluates electric resource acquisitions and requests for certificates of public convenience and necessity for construction or expansion of generating facilities, the PUC must consider best value regarding employment of Colorado labor and positive impacts on the long-term economic viability of Colorado communities. To this end, the PUC must require electric utilities to obtain certain information regarding certain "best value" employment metrics and report this information to the PUC for its consideration. The bill: Requires the PUC to promulgate rules requiring utilities, when submitting annual progress reports for an electric resource acquisition, to collect and provide to the PUC information concerning the implementation of "best value" employment metrics; Requires the PUC to report annually to committees of reference of the general assembly concerning the information that is reported; and Repeals language requiring the state auditor to conduct a performance audit, which performance audit the state auditor completed in July 2022.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)