HB 5457

General Assembly  Substitute Bill No. 5457
  February Session, 2026
 AN ACT CONCERNING FIRES AND EXPLOSIONS THAT OCCUR AT
 SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC FACILITIES.
 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
 Assembly convened:
1Section 1. Section 29-303 of the general statutes is repealed and the
2     following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2026):
3(a) The fire chief or local fire marshal with jurisdiction over a town,
4    city, borough or fire district where a fire, explosion or other fire
5    emergency occurs shall furnish the State Fire Marshal a report that shall
6    include (1) all the facts relating to its cause, its origin, the kind, the
7    estimated value and ownership of the property damaged or destroyed,
8    and (2) such other information as called for by the State Fire Marshal on
9    forms furnished by the State Fire Marshal, or in an electronic format
10    prescribed by the State Fire Marshal. The fire chief or fire marshal may
11    also submit reports regarding other significant fire department response
12    to such fire or explosion, and such reports may be filed monthly but
13    commencing January 1, 2008, such reports shall be filed not less than
14    quarterly.
15      (b) For any fire or explosion that occurs at a facility, as defined in
16    subdivision (3) of subsection (a) of section 16-50i, that is a solar
17    photovoltaic facility, the local fire marshal shall also furnish the report
18    described in subsection (a) of this section to the Connecticut Siting
19    Council established under section 16-50j.
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20    Sec. 2. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2026) (a) Not later than thirty days
21 after the Connecticut Siting Council receives a report regarding a fire or
22 explosion that occurred at a facility that is a solar photovoltaic facility,
23 furnished pursuant to subsection (b) of section 29-303 of the general
24 statutes, as amended by this act, the council shall, in conjunction with
25 the local fire marshal who furnished the report, determine whether any
26 solar photovoltaic facility equipment at the facility was a contributing
27 factor to the fire or explosion. Notwithstanding any provision of chapter
28 277a of the general statutes, if the council determines, in conjunction
29 with the local fire marshal, that such equipment was such a factor, the
30 council shall initiate an amendment proceeding to amend the certificate
31 issued to the owner of the facility pursuant to said chapter. The purpose
32 of such amendment proceeding shall be to require the owner to adopt a
33 solar photovoltaic facility fire mitigation plan. Any such mitigation plan
34 adopted in accordance with this section shall include, but not be limited
35 to, an explicit description of the best management practices the owner
36 will employ, informed by the latest science at the time the plan is
37 formed, that will avoid, minimize and mitigate any fire or explosion
38 risks relating to solar photovoltaic facilities. For purposes of this section,
39 "facility" has the same meaning as provided in subdivision (3) of
40 subsection (a) of section 16-50i of the general statutes.
41    (b) Not later than one hundred eighty days after the conclusion of an
42 amendment proceeding that was initiated under subsection (a) of this
43 section and that resulted in the adoption of a solar photovoltaic facility
44 fire mitigation plan, the council shall determine if there are any facilities
45 in the state that are similarly situated to the facility that was the subject
46 of such order. If the council determines that there are any such similarly
47 situated facilities, the council may, notwithstanding any provision of
48 chapter 277a of the general statutes, initiate an amendment proceeding
49 to amend the certificate issued to any owner of a similarly situated
50 facility pursuant to said chapter. The purpose of such amendment
51 proceeding shall be to require such owner to adopt the same solar
52 photovoltaic facility fire mitigation plan as the mitigation plan adopted
53 in accordance with subsection (a) of this section.
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This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:
Section 1      October 1, 2026  29-303
Sec. 2  October 1, 2026  New section
PS  Joint Favorable Subst. -LCO
APP  Joint Favorable
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