Connecticut HB 5457: AN ACT CONCERNING FIRES AND EXPLOSIONS THAT OCCUR AT SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC FACILITIES.

Bill Text

LCO 
 
1 of 3 
  
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: 
 
Section  1.  Section  29-303  of  the  general  statutes  is  repealed  and  the 1 
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2026): 2 
(a) The fire chief or local fire marshal with jurisdiction over a town, 3 
city,  borough  or  fire  district  where  a  fire,  explosion  or  other  fire 4 
emergency occurs shall furnish the State Fire Marshal a report that shall 5 
include  (1) all the  facts  relating  to  its  cause,  its  origin,  the  kind,  the 6 
estimated value and ownership of the property damaged or destroyed, 7 
and (2) such other information as called for by the State Fire Marshal on 8 
forms  furnished  by  the  State  Fire  Marshal,  or  in  an  electronic  format 9 
prescribed by the State Fire Marshal. The fire chief or fire marshal may 10 
also submit reports regarding other significant fire department response 11 
to  such  fire  or  explosion,  and  such  reports  may  be  filed  monthly  but 12 
commencing  January  1,  2008,  such  reports  shall  be  filed  not  less  than 13 
quarterly. 14 
(b)  For  any  fire  or  explosion  that  occurs  at  a  facility,  as  defined  in 15 
subdivision  (3)  of  subsection  (a)  of  section  16-50i,  that  is  a  solar 16 
photovoltaic facility, the local fire marshal shall also furnish the report 17 
described  in  subsection  (a)  of  this  section  to  the  Connecticut  Siting 18 
Council established under section 16-50j. 19 

Substitute Bill No. 5457 
 
 
LCO     2 of 3 
 
Sec. 2. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2026) (a) Not later than thirty days 20 
after the Connecticut Siting Council receives a report regarding a fire or 21 
explosion that occurred at a facility that is a solar photovoltaic facility, 22 
furnished  pursuant  to  subsection  (b)  of  section  29-303  of  the  general 23 
statutes, as amended by this act, the council shall, in conjunction  with 24 
the local fire marshal who furnished the report, determine whether any 25 
solar  photovoltaic  facility  equipment  at the  facility  was  a  contributing 26 
factor to the fire or explosion. Notwithstanding any provision of chapter 27 
277a  of  the  general  statutes,  if  the  council  determines,  in  conjunction 28 
with the local fire marshal, that such equipment was such a factor, the 29 
council shall initiate an amendment proceeding to amend the certificate 30 
issued to the owner of the facility pursuant to said chapter. The purpose 31 
of such amendment proceeding shall be to require the owner to adopt a 32 
solar photovoltaic facility fire mitigation plan. Any such mitigation plan 33 
adopted in accordance with this section shall include, but not be limited 34 
to, an explicit description of the best management practices the owner 35 
will  employ, informed  by  the  latest  science  at  the  time  the  plan  is 36 
formed, that  will  avoid,  minimize  and  mitigate  any  fire  or  explosion 37 
risks relating to solar photovoltaic facilities. For purposes of this section, 38 
"facility"  has  the  same  meaning  as  provided  in  subdivision  (3)  of 39 
subsection (a) of section 16-50i of the general statutes. 40 
(b) Not later than one hundred eighty days after the conclusion of an 41 
amendment  proceeding  that  was  initiated  under  subsection  (a)  of  this 42 
section and that resulted in the adoption of a solar photovoltaic facility 43 
fire mitigation plan, the council shall determine if there are any facilities 44 
in the state that are similarly situated to the facility that was the subject 45 
of such order. If the council determines that there are any such similarly 46 
situated  facilities,  the  council  may,  notwithstanding  any  provision  of 47 
chapter 277a of the general statutes, initiate an amendment proceeding 48 
to  amend  the  certificate  issued  to  any  owner  of  a  similarly  situated 49 
facility  pursuant  to  said  chapter.  The  purpose  of  such  amendment 50 
proceeding  shall  be  to  require  such  owner  to  adopt  the  same  solar 51 
photovoltaic facility fire mitigation plan as the mitigation plan adopted 52 
in accordance with subsection (a) of this section. 53 

Substitute Bill No. 5457 
 
 
LCO     3 of 3 
 
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