Bill Text: VA HB2293 | 2019 | Regular Session | Comm Sub
Bill Title: Electric utilities; stakeholder process for energy efficiency programs.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-0)
Status: (Passed) 2019-03-14 - Governor: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0397) [HB2293 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2019-HB2293-Comm_Sub.html
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That the fifteenth enactment of Chapter 296 of the Acts of Assembly of 2018 is amended and reenacted as follows:
15. That each Phase I Utility and Phase II Utility, as such
terms are defined in subdivision A 1 of §56-585.1 of the Code of Virginia,
shall develop a proposed program of energy conservation measures. Any program
shall provide for the submission of a petition or petitions for approval to
design, implement, and operate energy efficiency programs pursuant to
subdivision A 5 c of §56-585.1 of the Code of Virginia. At least five percent
of such energy efficiency programs shall benefit low-income, elderly, and
disabled individuals. The projected costs for the utility to design, implement,
and operate such energy efficiency programs, including a margin to be recovered
on operating expenses, shall be no less than an aggregate amount of $140
million for a Phase I Utility and $870 million for a Phase II Utility for the
period beginning July 1, 2018, and ending July 1, 2028, including any existing
approved energy efficiency programs. In developing such portfolio of energy
efficiency programs, each utility shall utilize a stakeholder process, to be
facilitated by an independent monitor compensated under the funding provided
pursuant to subdivision E of §56-592.1 of the Code of Virginia, to provide
input and feedback on the development of such energy efficiency programs. Such
stakeholder process shall include representatives from each utility, the State
Corporation Commission, the office of Consumer Counsel of the Attorney General,
the Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy, energy efficiency program
implementers, energy efficiency providers, residential and small business
customers, and any other interested stakeholder who the independent monitor
deems appropriate for inclusion in such process. The independent monitor
shall convene meetings of the participants in the stakeholder process not less
frequently than twice in each calendar year during the period beginning July 1,
2019, and ending July 1, 2028. The utility independent monitor
shall report on the status of the energy efficiency program
stakeholder process, including (i) the objectives established by the
stakeholder group during this process related to programs to be proposed, (ii)
recommendations related to programs to be proposed that result from the
stakeholder process, and (iii) the status of those recommendations, in addition
to the petitions filed and the determination thereon, to the Governor, the
State Corporation Commission, and the Chairmen of the House and Senate Commerce
and Labor Committees on July 1, 2019, and annually thereafter through July 1,
2028.