Bill Text: VA HB575 | 2020 | Regular Session | Chaptered
Bill Title: Electric utilities; energy efficiency programs, stakeholder process.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2020-04-22 - Governor: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP1208) [HB575 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2020-HB575-Chaptered.html
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That §56-596.2 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:
§56-596.2. Energy efficiency programs.
Each Phase I Utility and Phase II Utility, as such terms are
defined in subdivision A 1 of §56-585.1, 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. 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 and portfolios of
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 and
portfolios of programs, each utility shall utilize a stakeholder process,
to be facilitated by an independent monitor compensated under the funding
provided pursuant to subdivision subsection E of §56-592.1, to
provide input and feedback on (i) the development of such energy
efficiency programs and portfolios of programs; (ii) compliance with the
total annual energy savings and how such savings affect utility integrated
resource plans; (iii) recommended policy reforms by which the General Assembly
or the Commission can ensure maximum and cost-effective deployment of energy
efficiency technology across the Commonwealth; and (iv) best practices for
evaluation, measurement, and verification for the purposes of assessing
compliance with the total annual energy savings. Such stakeholder process
shall include the participation of representatives from each utility,
relevant directors, deputy directors, and staff members of the State
Corporation Commission who participate in approval and oversight of
utility energy efficiency savings programs, 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
whom 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
independent monitor shall report on the status of the energy efficiency
stakeholder process, including (i) (a) the objectives established
by the stakeholder group during this process related to programs to be
proposed, (ii) (b) recommendations related to programs to be
proposed that result from the stakeholder process, and (iii) (c)
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 Committee on Labor and Commerce
and the Senate Committee on Commerce and Labor Committees
on July 1, 2019, and annually thereafter through July 1, 2028.
