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PUC To Invite Comments On Future Of Act 129 Energy Efficiency Program

On February 20, the Public Utility Commission voted to invite comments on proposed guidelines for the next phase of the Commonwealth’s Energy Efficiency and Conservation program (EE&C Program) under Act 129 of 2008.

"I am eager to hear all suggestions to enhance our EE&C programs and consider them as we move towards a Final Implementation Order,” said PUC Chairman Stephen M. DeFrank in a statement at the public meeting. “Especially in a time of rising costs, these ratepayer dollars are a precious resource, and we owe it to ratepayers to use them as prudently as possible in ways that can provide savings to customers and preserve the reliability of our overall power grid”

The Commission voted 5-0 to approve a Tentative Implementation Order and begin the process of establishing “Phase V” of the EE&C Program.

The Commission’s proposal is for a five-year Phase V program, operating from June 1, 2026, through May 31, 2031, and includes the evaluation of the costs and benefits of the overall EE&C Program as well as the PUC’s proposal establishing additional incremental reductions in electric consumption and peak demand in Phase V.

In preparation for a potential Phase V, the Commission tasked its Phase IV Statewide Evaluator (SWE) with performing an energy efficiency and peak demand reduction (EEPDR) potential study, as well as a demand response (DR) potential study to determine the cost-effective consumption and peak demand reduction potential in Pennsylvania.

The SWE submitted both the EEPDR and DR studies to the Commission earlier this month, and both studies will be released publicly via Commission Secretarial Letter no later than Feb. 28, 2025.

Submitting Comments and Reply Comments

Interested parties may submit written comments within 30 days of publication of the Commission’s Tentative Order in the Pennsylvania Bulletin and written reply comments within 45 days of publication.

Both written comments and written reply comments should reference Docket No. M-2025-3052826.

Interested parties submitting written comments and/or written reply comments are encouraged to use the Commission’s electronic filing system. An eFiling account may be opened and used through the Commission’s website.

Interested parties filing hard copies of written comments or written reply comments may do so with the PUC’s Secretary’s Bureau.

Individuals not eFiling are required to mail – preferable by overnight delivery – one original filing, signed and dated, with the Commission’s Secretary at:Rosemary Chiavetta, Secretary, Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, Commonwealth Keystone Building, 400 North Street, Harrisburg, PA 17120

The Commission notes that all pages of filed comments and reply comments, with the exception of a cover letter, must be numbered.

Additionally, a Word-formatted copy of comments and reply comments should be electronically mailed to Commission staff Joseph Sherrick at josherrick@pa.gov and to Tiffany Tran at tiftran@pa.gov. Attachments may not exceed three (3) megabytes.

The Commission notes that this Tentative Order and all filed comments and reply comments related to the Tentative Order will be published on the Commission’s website at Docket No.: M-2025-3052826

Click Here for the PUC announcement.

Related Articles:

-- PUC To Invite Comments On Future Of Act 129 Energy Efficiency Program [PaEN]

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-- PUC To Investigate Proposed 10.8% UGI Natural Gas Rate Increase [PaEN]

-- Keystone Energy Efficiency Alliance, Black Appalachian Coalition, PennFuture, Partners Host March 4 Webinar -- Why Is My Electricity Bill So High? And Going Higher? [PaEN]

-- Washington & Jefferson College Hosts March 19 Webinar On Meeting The Challenges Of The Electric Grid - PJM's Role [PaEN]

NewsClips:

-- Scranton Times: PUC Will Investigate Proposed 10.8% Rate Hike By UGI Gas

-- Wilkes-Barre Times: PUC To Investigate Proposed 10.8% UGI Gas Rate Hike

-- MCall Guest Essay: US Dept. Of Energy LNG Gas Export Facility Plans Will Pollute Communities, Raise Prices - By Alex Bomstein, Clean Air Council

-- Reuters: EU Seeks More US LNG Gas, Renewable Energy To Replace Russian Supplies; Gas Prices Rose To 2-Year Highs Last Week