Bill Text: CT HB05484 | 2018 | General Assembly | Comm Sub


Bill Title: An Act Concerning Shared Renewable Energy Facilities.

Spectrum: Committee Bill

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-03-28 - Favorable Change of Reference, Senate to Committee on Energy and Technology [HB05484 Detail]

Download: Connecticut-2018-HB05484-Comm_Sub.html

General Assembly

 

Substitute Bill No. 5484

    February Session, 2018

 

*_____HB05484PD_ET_032618____*

AN ACT CONCERNING SHARED RENEWABLE ENERGY FACILITIES.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:

Section 1. Subsection (a) of section 16-245d of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2018):

(a) (1) The Public Utilities Regulatory Authority shall, by regulations adopted pursuant to chapter 54, develop a standard billing format that enables customers to compare pricing policies and charges among electric suppliers. The authority shall alter or repeal any relevant regulation in conjunction with the implementation of a redesigned standard billing format described in subdivision (2) of this subsection. The authority shall adopt regulations, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, to provide that an electric supplier shall (A) provide direct billing and collection services for electric generation services and related federally mandated congestion charges that such suppliers provide to their customers, (B) provide direct billing and collection services for all components of electric service, or [may choose to] (C) obtain [such] billing and collection service through an electric distribution company and pay its pro rata share in accordance with the provisions of subsection (f) of section 16-244c. Any customer of an electric supplier, which is choosing to provide direct billing, who paid for the cost of billing and other services to an electric distribution company shall receive a credit on their monthly bill.

(2) On or before July 1, 2014, the authority shall initiate a docket to redesign (A) the standard billing format for residential customers implemented pursuant to subdivision (1) of this subsection to better enable such residential customers to compare pricing policies and charges among electric suppliers, and (B) the account summary page of a residential customer located on the electric distribution company's Internet web site. The authority shall issue a final decision on such docket not later than six months after its initiation. Such final decision shall include the placement of the following items on the first page of each bill for each residential customer receiving electric generation service from an electric supplier: (i) The electric generation service rate; (ii) the term and expiration date of such rate; (iii) any change to such rate effective for the next billing cycle; (iv) the cancellation fee, if applicable, provided there is such a change; (v) notification that such rate is variable, if applicable; (vi) the standard service rate; (vii) the term and expiration date of the standard service rate; (viii) the dollar amount that would have been billed for the electric generation services component had the customer been receiving standard service; and (ix) an electronic link or Internet web site address to the rate board Internet web site described in section 16-244d and the toll-free telephone number and other information necessary to enable the customer to obtain standard service. Such final decision shall also include the feasibility of (I) an electric distribution company transferring a residential customer receiving electric generation service from an electric supplier to a different electric supplier in a timely manner and ensuring that the electric distribution company and the relevant electric suppliers provide timely information to each other to facilitate such transfer, and (II) allowing residential customers to choose how to receive information related to bill notices, including United States mail, electronic mail, text message, an application on a cellular telephone or a third-party notification service approved by the authority. On or before July 1, 2015, the authority shall implement, or cause to be implemented, the redesigned standard billing format and Internet web site for a customer's account summary. On or before July 1, 2020, and every five years thereafter, the authority shall reopen such docket to ensure the standard billing format and Internet web site for a customer's account summary remains a useful tool for customers to compare pricing policies and charges among electric suppliers.

(3) On or before October 1, 2018, the authority shall initiate a docket to allow electric suppliers to bill for all components of electric service. Such docket shall: (A) Permit a customer of an electric supplier to (i) designate an electric supplier to receive such customer's bill for all components of the bill, and (ii) authorize the electric distribution company that serves such customer to send such customer's bill to such designated electric supplier; and (B) require electric suppliers that bill for all components of electric service to pay the electric distribution companies the amounts due such company for transmission and distribution services, less uncollectible bills and overdue payments as approved by the authority. The authority shall issue a final decision on such docket not later than April 1, 2019.

[(3)] (4) An electric supplier that chooses to provide billing and collection services pursuant to subparagraph (A) of subdivision (1) of this subsection shall, in accordance with the billing format developed by the authority, include the following information in each customer's bill: (A) The total amount owed by the customer, which shall be itemized to show (i) the electric generation services component and any additional charges or billing credits imposed by the electric supplier, and (ii) federally mandated congestion charges applicable to the generation services; (B) any unpaid amounts from previous bills, which shall be listed separately from current charges; (C) the rate and usage for the current month and each of the previous twelve months in bar graph form or other visual format; (D) the payment due date; (E) the interest rate applicable to any unpaid amount; (F) the toll-free telephone number of the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority for questions or complaints; and (G) the toll-free telephone number and address of the electric supplier. On or before October 1, 2013, the authority shall conduct a review of the costs and benefits of suppliers billing for all components of electric service, and report, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a, to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to energy regarding the results of such review. Any such report may be submitted electronically.

(5) An electric supplier that chooses to provide billing and collection services pursuant to subparagraph (B) of subdivision (1) of this subsection shall, in accordance with the billing format developed by the authority, include the following information in each customer's bill: (A) The total amount owed by the customer, which shall be itemized to show (i) the electric generation services component and any additional charges or billing credits imposed by the electric supplier, (ii) the distribution charge, including all applicable taxes and the systems benefits charge, as provided in section 16-245l, (iii) the transmission rate as adjusted pursuant to subsection (d) of section 16-19b, (iv) the competitive transition assessment, as provided in section 16-245g, (v) federally mandated congestion charges, and (vi) the conservation and renewable energy charge, consisting of the conservation and load management program charge, as provided in section 16-245m, and the renewable energy investment charge, as provided in section 16-245n; (B) any unpaid amounts from previous bills, which shall be listed separately from current charges; (C) the rate and usage for the current month and each of the previous twelve months in bar graph form or other visual format; (D) the payment due date; (E) the interest rate applicable to any unpaid amount; (F) the toll-free telephone number of the electric distribution company to report power losses; (G) the toll-free telephone number of the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority for questions or complaints; and (H) the toll-free telephone number and address of the electric supplier.

[(4)] (6) An electric distribution company shall, in accordance with the billing format developed by the authority, include the following information in each customer's bill: (A) The total amount owed by the customer, which shall be itemized to show, (i) the electric generation services component if the customer obtains standard service or last resort service from the electric distribution company, (ii) the distribution charge, including all applicable taxes and the systems benefits charge, as provided in section 16-245l, (iii) the transmission rate as adjusted pursuant to subsection (d) of section 16-19b, (iv) the competitive transition assessment, as provided in section 16-245g, (v) federally mandated congestion charges, and (vi) the conservation and renewable energy charge, consisting of the conservation and load management program charge, as provided in section 16-245m, and the renewable energy investment charge, as provided in section 16-245n; (B) any unpaid amounts from previous bills which shall be listed separately from current charges; (C) except for customers subject to a demand charge, the rate and usage for the current month and each of the previous twelve months in the form of a bar graph or other visual form; (D) the payment due date; (E) the interest rate applicable to any unpaid amount; (F) the toll-free telephone number of the electric distribution company to report power losses; (G) the toll-free telephone number of the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority for questions or complaints; and (H) if a customer has a demand of five hundred kilowatts or less during the preceding twelve months, a statement about the availability of information concerning electric suppliers pursuant to section 16-245p.

Sec. 2. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2018) (a) As used in this section:

(1) "Billing credit" means a credit equal to the retail cost per kilowatt-hour the subscriber may have otherwise been charged for each kilowatt-hour purchased pursuant to a subscription;

(2) "Electric distribution company" has the same meaning as provided in section 16-1 of the general statutes;

(3) "Electric supplier" has the same meaning as provided in section 16-1 of the general statutes;

(4) "Individual billing meter" has the same meaning as provided in section 16-244x of the general statutes;

(5) "Supplier clean energy facility" means a Class I renewable energy source, as defined in section 16-1 of the general statutes, that (A) is served by an electric distribution company or is within an electric distribution company's service territory and delivers electricity to such electric distribution company's electric transmission system, (B) is within the same electric distribution company service territory as a subscriber's individual billing meter, and (C) has at least two subscribers;

(6) "Subscriber" has the same meaning as provided in section 16-244x of the general statutes;

(7) "Subscription" means a beneficial use of a supplier clean energy facility, including, but not limited to, a percentage interest in the total amount of electricity produced by such facility or a set amount of electricity produced by such facility; and

(8) "Excess billing credit" means, in any given monthly billing period, a billing credit that remains after the subscriber has been billed for zero kilowatt-hours related to the generation service and transmission and distribution charges.

(b) An electric supplier may (1) own and operate one or more supplier clean energy facilities, or (2) contract with a third-party entity to build, own or operate one or more supplier clean energy facilities. Such electric supplier may contract with subscribers for subscriptions to such supplier clean energy facility.

(c) The electric distribution company or electric supplier that provides a subscriber's billing and collection services shall include a billing credit on such subscriber's electric bill for the kilowatt-hours purchased through such subscription. Such credit shall be applied against all components of the electric bill and any monthly fees, provided such credit shall be applied against an amount of the monthly fees that is proportional to the percentage of generation service that the subscriber obtains through a subscription.

(d) An electric distribution company or electric supplier shall carry forward any excess billing credits contracted for by the subscriber from one monthly billing period to the next.

(e) An electric distribution company may recover its costs and investments that have been prudently incurred as well as its revenues lost resulting from the provisions of this section. The Public Utilities Regulatory Authority shall, after a hearing held pursuant to the provisions of chapter 54 of the general statutes, determine the appropriate mechanism to obtain such recovery in a timely manner which mechanism may be one or more of the following: (1) Approval of rates as provided in sections 16-19 and 16-19e of the general statutes; (2) the energy adjustment clause as provided in section 16-19b of the general statutes; or (3) the federally mandated congestion charges, as defined in section 16-1 of the general statutes.

Sec. 3. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2018) (a) As used in this section:

(1) "Residential demand response program" means the program described in subsection (c) of this section;

(2) "Smart thermostat" means a device enabled with a wireless Internet connection capability that can adjust heating and cooling temperature settings; and

(3) "Smart thermostat installation program" means the program described in subsection (b) of this section.

(b) On and after October 1, 2018, an electric distribution company shall, in each Conservation and Load Management Plan that such electric distribution company submits to the Energy Conservation Management Board pursuant to subsection (d) of section 16-245m of the general statutes, include a smart thermostat installation program. Such smart thermostat installation program shall provide smart thermostats and installation services to residential ratepayers at a discounted price. A residential ratepayer may request to participate in the smart thermostat installation program by notifying (1) the electric distribution company that serves such ratepayer's residence, or (2) an electric supplier that operates within the service territory of such electric distribution company. A residential ratepayer may request the installation of no more than three smart thermostats in a residential unit. An electric distribution company or electric supplier, either on its own or through a contractor, shall provide and install a smart thermostat at a cost to the ratepayer of fifty dollars per smart thermostat. Any costs for the smart thermostat or installation in excess of fifty dollars shall be reimbursed from the Energy Conservation and Load Management Fund, as authorized by the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority pursuant to subsection (b) of section 16-245m of the general statutes, provided an electric supplier shall be reimbursed from the Energy Conservation and Load Management Fund of the electric distribution company in whose service territory such electric supplier operates. A residential ratepayer who participates in the smart thermostat installation program shall not be required to participate in the residential demand response program pursuant to subsection (c) of this section.

(c) On and after October 1, 2018, each electric distribution company and electric supplier may each develop and operate a residential demand response program. A residential ratepayer that has a smart thermostat installed pursuant to subsection (b) of this section or installed by such ratepayer may request to participate in a residential demand response program by notifying (1) the electric distribution company that serves such ratepayer's residence, or (2) an electric supplier that operates within the service territory of such electric distribution company, provided any thermostat installed by the ratepayer shall be compliant with the demand response system of the electric distribution company or electric supplier. An electric distribution company or electric supplier may register the smart thermostats of ratepayers participating in its demand response program as demand response assets with the regional independent system operator. If a residential ratepayer chooses to participate in a residential demand response program, the ratepayer shall agree that the electric distribution company or electric supplier, whichever is operating the demand response program in which the ratepayer participates, may remotely adjust such residential ratepayer's thermostat, provided a residential ratepayer may terminate such agreement at any time, permanently or temporarily, by providing notice to the electric distribution company or electric supplier.

This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections:

Section 1

October 1, 2018

16-245d(a)

Sec. 2

October 1, 2018

New section

Sec. 3

October 1, 2018

New section

PD

Joint Favorable Subst. C/R

ET

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