Requires the public utilities commission to provide for a classification of service for retail electricity consumers that are large energy use facilities.

Plain-English Summary

This bill would require Rhode Island's Public Utilities Commission (PUC) — the state agency that oversees electricity, gas, and other utility services — to create a special category of electric service specifically for "large energy use facilities." In other words, businesses or operations that consume very large amounts of electricity would be recognized as their own distinct group of customers, separate from typical homes or small businesses.

By establishing this separate classification, the PUC would be able to set specific rules, rates, or terms of service tailored to these high-volume electricity users. This is similar to how utilities already distinguish between residential customers (homeowners and renters) and commercial or industrial customers, but this bill would carve out an additional category for the very largest energy consumers — which could include facilities like data centers, large manufacturers, cryptocurrency mining operations, or similar high-demand users.

The bill primarily affects large businesses or facilities that use significantly more electricity than a typical customer, as well as the utility companies that serve them. It could also have indirect effects on other ratepayers, since how large users are classified and billed can influence overall electricity pricing across the system. The bill has been referred to the House Corporations Committee and is scheduled for a hearing, meaning it is still in the early stages of the legislative process and has not yet become law.