At 6:30 pm on Monday, March 11th, the Vermont Public Utility Commission will explain Proposed Changes to Rule 5.300. Please read the linked content below, and for questions about this rulemaking, please contact Elizabeth Schilling, Staff Attorney, at elizabeth.schilling@vermont.gov or 802-828-2358. See Information about public participation in the State of Vermont Public Utility Commission process here: https://puc.vermont.gov/public-participation
On January 14, 2019, the Interagency Committee on Administrative Rules approved the Vermont Public Utility Commission’s (“Commission”) rulemaking package to revise Commission Rule 5.300, Energy Efficiency Charge. On January 30, 2019, the Commission filed the rule with the Secretary of State’s Office.
The rule establishes the methodologies for calculating the Energy Efficiency Charge (“EEC”) rates to meet the Energy Efficiency Utilities’ budgets. (EEU budgets are determined through a separate Commission process.) The EEC rates are applied to the amount of electricity and natural gas a customer consumes to determine the individual EEC amounts for that customer.
The proposed rule includes the following updates:
- Adding the methodologies to calculate the Natural Gas EEC rates, which are currently calculated pursuant to Commission order. This rulemaking does not alter the current methodology;
- For the Electric EEC, ensuring all customers are billed based on their gross electric consumption;
- Directing the Energy Efficiency Utilities to calculate the EEC rates, rather than the Vermont Department of Public Service;
- Allowing the Energy Efficiency Utilities to use sale forecasts when calculating the EEC rates, rather than historic billing determinants;
- Allowing the EEUs to propose alternative methods to calculate the EEC rates, with continued oversight by the Department of Public Service and the Commission;
- Exempting the Kingdom Community Wind and Jay Synchronous Condenser facilities from payment of the EEC consistent with Commission rules and past practice; and
- Making grammatical and stylistic updates.
The proposed updates are the outcome of proceedings in Case No. 17-4697-INV, Proceeding Regarding Proposed Revision of Commission Rule 5.300.
The draft rule, the full filing submitted to the Secretary of State’s Office, and the documents from Case No. 17-4697-INV are available through ePUC, the Commission’s electronic document management and filing system – ePUC. The case number for this rulemaking is 19-0053-RULE. Further information about using ePUC is also available.
The Commission is accepting public comments on the rule until March 20, 2019. Commenters are strongly encouraged to file their comments through ePUC, but the Commission will also accept comments submitted via direct mail or email.
The Commission is holding three public hearings across the State to hear from the public on the proposed rule changes. Hearing dates are as follows:
March 11, 2019, 6:30 P.M. Brattleboro
Brooks Memorial Library (Meeting Room), 224 Main Street, Brattleboro, VT 05301
March 12, 2019, 6:30 P.M., Barre
Alumni Hall (3rd Floor Meeting Room), 20 Auditorium Hill, Barre, VT 05641
March 13, 2019, 6:30 P.M., Burlington
Burlington City Hall (Contois Auditorium), 149 Church St., Burlington, VT 05401
