HOUSE BILL No. 6683

 

 

November 19, 2008, Introduced by Rep. Melton and referred to the Committee on Energy and Technology.

 

     A bill to amend 2008 PA 295, entitled

 

"Clean, renewable, and efficient energy act,"

 

by amending sections 71 and 143 (MCL 460.1071 and 460.1143).

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 71. (1) A provider shall file a proposed energy

 

optimization plan with the commission within the following time

 

period:

 

     (a) For a provider whose rates are regulated by the

 

commission, 90 days after the commission enters a temporary order

 

under section 171 191.

 

     (b) For a cooperative electric utility that has elected to

 

become member-regulated under the electric cooperative member

 

regulation act, 2008 PA 167, MCL 460.31 to 460.39, or a

 


municipally-owned electric utility, 120 days after the commission

 

enters a temporary order under section 171 191.

 

     (2) The overall goal of an a proposed energy optimization plan

 

shall be to reduce the future costs of provider service to

 

customers. In particular, an a proposed EO plan shall be designed

 

to delay the need for constructing new electric generating

 

facilities and thereby protect consumers from incurring the costs

 

of such construction. The proposed energy optimization plan shall

 

be subject to approval in the same manner as an electric provider's

 

renewable energy plan under subpart A. A provider may combine its

 

energy optimization plan with its renewable energy plan.

 

     (3) An A proposed energy optimization plan shall do all of the

 

following:

 

     (a) Propose Provide for a set of energy optimization programs

 

that include offerings for each customer class, including low

 

income residential. The commission shall allow providers

 

flexibility to tailor the relative amount of effort devoted to each

 

customer class based on the specific characteristics of their

 

service territory.

 

     (b) Specify necessary funding levels.

 

     (c) Describe how energy optimization program costs will be

 

recovered as provided in section 89(2).

 

     (d) Ensure, to the extent feasible, that charges collected

 

from a particular customer rate class are spent on energy

 

optimization programs for that rate class.

 

     (e) Demonstrate that the proposed energy optimization programs

 

and funding are sufficient to ensure the achievement of applicable

 


energy optimization standards.

 

     (f) Specify whether the number of megawatt hours of

 

electricity or decatherms or MCFs of natural gas used in the

 

calculation of incremental energy savings under section 77 will be

 

weather-normalized or based on the average number of megawatt hours

 

of electricity or decatherms or MCFs of natural gas sold by the

 

provider annually during the previous 3 years to retail customers

 

in this state. Once the plan is approved by the commission, this

 

option shall not be changed.

 

     (g) Demonstrate that the provider's energy optimization

 

programs, excluding program offerings to low income residential

 

customers, will collectively be cost-effective.

 

     (h) Provide for the practical and effective administration of

 

the proposed energy optimization programs. The commission shall

 

allow providers flexibility in designing their energy optimization

 

programs and administrative approach. A provider's energy

 

optimization programs or any part thereof, may be administered, at

 

the provider's option, by the provider, alone or jointly with other

 

providers, by a state agency, or by an appropriate experienced

 

nonprofit organization selected after a competitive bid process.

 

     (i) Include a process for obtaining an independent expert

 

evaluation of the actual energy optimization programs to verify the

 

incremental energy savings from each energy optimization program

 

for purposes of section 77. All such evaluations shall be subject

 

to public review and commission oversight.

 

     (4) Subject to subsection (5), an a proposed energy

 

optimization plan may do 1 or more of the following:

 


     (a) Utilize educational programs designed to alter consumer

 

behavior or any other measures that can reasonably be used to meet

 

the goals set forth in subsection (2).

 

     (b) Propose to the commission measures that are designed to

 

meet the goals set forth in subsection (1) (2) and that provide

 

additional customer benefits.

 

     (5) Expenditures for programs and measures authorized under

 

subsection (4) shall not exceed 3% of the costs of implementing the

 

energy optimization plan.

 

     Sec. 143. Within 60 days after the effective date of this act

 

By December 5, 2008, the commission shall create the wind energy

 

resource zone board. The board shall consist of 9 11 members, as

 

follows:

 

     (a) 1 member representing the commission.

 

     (b) 2 members representing the electric utility industry.

 

     (c) 1 member representing alternative electric suppliers.

 

     (d) 1 member representing the attorney general.

 

     (e) 1 member representing the renewable energy industry.

 

     (f) 1 member representing cities and villages.

 

     (g) 1 member representing townships.

 

     (h) 1 member representing independent transmission companies.

 

     (i) 1 member representing a statewide environmental

 

organization.

 

     (j) 1 member representing the public at large.