PUC Solicits Comments On Implementation Plan for House Bill 2200

The Public Utility Commission is seeking comments in order to initiate the first phase of the commission’s implementation plan for House Bill 2200 (George-D-Clearfield) signed into law as Act 129.

 

The act expands the commission’s oversight responsibilities and imposes new requirements on electric distribution companies (EDCs), with the overall goal of reducing energy consumption and demand, enhancing default service procurement and expanding alternative energy sources.

 

The act adds several new sections to, and amends several existing sections of, the Public Utility Code. According to a secretarial letter issued this week, in order to comply with the Act in an orderly and efficient manner, the commission will implement the act in phases.

 

The first phase will deal with the Commission’s obligation to adopt an energy efficiency and conservation (EE&C) program by January 15, 2009. The commission is soliciting comments from stakeholders on several aspects of the EE&C program with the comment period ending October 31.

 

According to a motion approved by the commissioners at the public meeting of October 9, as soon as the governor signed House Bill 2200 into law, the PUC director of operations convened an internal working group to develop the implementation plan.

 

After reviewing these comments, the internal working group will develop a draft staff proposal for issuance to interested parties in late November and further plans to hold a stakeholder meeting in mid-December before submitting a draft implementation plan to the commission for adoption in January.

 

This comment period is in addition to a previously announced en banc hearing scheduled for November 13, at 12:30 p.m. in Hearing Room 1 of the Commonwealth Keystone Building in Harrisburg, at which the commission will seek information from experts on alternative energy resources, energy conservation and efficiency, demand side response tools and programs to assist customers.

 

Written testimony for the hearing is due November 10 and reply comments are due December 1.

 

The scope of the en banc hearing is much broader than the Act 129 phase one implementation process. Presenters and those providing comments are welcome to address Act 129 at this hearing, but are also advised to file any comments related to the Act as part of the comment period announced this week.

 

Subsequent phases of the commission’s Act 129 implementation process will address EDC and default service provider responsibilities; conservation service providers; smart meter technology; time-of-use rates; real-time pricing plans; default service procurement; market misconduct; alternative energy sources; and cost recovery. The commission will announce comment and input processes for these matters at a later date.