To provide for a contracting incentive for small power plants on former military bases.

SA 2574. Mr. WARNER (for Ms. Snowe) proposed an amendment to the bill S. 1042, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2006 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe personnel strengths for such fiscal year for the Armed Forces, and for other purposes; as follows:

At the appropriate place in title VIII, insert:

Sec. __ Contracting Incentive for Small Power Plants on Former Military Bases.

(A) Authorization.--Notwithstanding the limitation in Section 501(b)(1)(B) of title 40, United States Code, the Administrator of the General Services Administration is authorized to contract for public utility services for a period of not more than 20 years, provided that such services are electricity services procured from a small power plant located on a qualified HUBZone base closure area.

(B) Definition of small power plant.--In this section, the term small power plant includes any power facility or project with electrical output of not more than 60 Megawatts.

(C) Definition of public utility electric services.--In this section, the term ‘public utility services', with respect to electricity services, includes electricity supplies and services, including transmission, generation, distribution, and other services directly used in providing electricity.”

(D) Definition of hubzone base closure area: In this section, the term “HUBZone base closure area” has the same meaning as such term is defined in Section 3(P)(4)(D) the Small Business Act, 15 USC 632(p)(4)(D).

(E) Applicability of other provisions of law.--Contracting pursuant to this section shall be subject to all other laws and regulations applicable to contracting for public utility services.