Bill Text: HI SCR28 | 2013 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: Photovoltaic Systems; Net Energy Metering; Interconnection Requirements; Work Group

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 9-0)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2013-04-23 - Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on CPC with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Ward excused (1). [SCR28 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2013-SCR28-Amended.html

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STAND. COM. REP. NO. 853

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.C.R. No. 28

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Energy and Environment, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 28 entitled:

 

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE CONSUMER ADVOCATE TO ESTABLISH A WORK GROUP TO EXAMINE HAWAIIAN ELECTRIC UTILITIES' TARIFF RULE NO. 14H TO DEVELOP METHODS AND PROCEDURES TO FACILITATE THE INCREASE IN PHOTOVOLTAIC SYSTEMS AND NET ENERGY METERING IN THE STATE,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Consumer Advocate to establish a work group to evaluate the factors impacting renewable distributed generation by photovoltaic systems in the State and to develop recommendations and proposed legislation that would streamline the interconnection process for homeowners and determine the feasibility of safely raising the distributed generation threshold percentage.  

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Hawaii Solar Energy Association and one individual.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Division of Consumer Advocacy; Earthjustice; and PV Coalition.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Public Utilities Commission; Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; and Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc.

 

     Your Committee finds the focus of this measure, as originally drafted, would unnecessarily overlap with the purview of the Public Utilities Commission and Reliability Standards Working Group, whose work is already well underway and moving toward completion.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Removing language directing the work group to perform tasks and inquiries duplicative of those under the purview of the Reliability Standards Working Group;

 

     (2)  Adding findings regarding the Reliability Standards Working Group;

 

     (3)  Adding language directing the Public Utilities Commission to report on the progress made by the Public Utilities Commission and the electric utilities in implementing the recommendations of the Reliability Standards Working Group;

 

     (4)  Changing its title to more appropriately identify its purpose; and

 

     (5)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency. 

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Energy and Environment that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 28, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection, in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 28, S.D. 1.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Energy and Environment,

 

		____________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair