Senator Koch: Bill to reduce electricity costs ceremonially signed into law

STATEHOUSE — A bill authored by State Sen. Eric Koch (R-Bedford) that will help increase energy supply and bring down electricity transmission costs was ceremonially signed into law by Gov. Braun today. Senate Enrolled Act 240 builds on Sen. Koch’s prior legislation that incentivized utilities to upgrade their grid infrastructure with advanced transmission technologies. The ultimate goal of these bills is to increase the efficiency of our existing electrical grid. State Senator Eric Koch (R-Bedford, right of Gov. Braun) attends the ceremonial signing of Senate Enrolled Act 240 . SEA 240 is designed to reduce the need for utilities to build costly new transmission lines by better using existing capacity. The new law focuses on surplus interconnection service (SIS), which is defined as any unused portion of existing interconnection capacity. New generation units or battery storage facilities will be able to utilize existing interconnections to get energy on the grid faster for consumers, ultimately driving down costs by increasing supply without adding the expense of building out new interconnection infrastructure. “The current process of approving and building transmission lines and interconnections for new energy generation facilities is slow and costly,” Koch said. “With the demand for electricity growing rapidly, SEA 240 will help ensure any existing interconnection infrastructure is being fully utilized. This will not only cut costs but also help ratepayers.” Koch is the chairman of the Senate Committee on Utilities , ranking member of the Senate committees on Commerce and Technology and Judiciary , and a member of the Senate Committee on Corrections and Criminal Law . He represents Senate District 44 , which includes Brown, Jackson, Lawrence, and Orange counties, and a portion of Monroe County.