Text to be removed highlighted in red.
1 Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative; Energy Efficiency Fund and Use of Auction Proceeds. Amend RSA 125-O:23, III to read as follows:
III. All remaining proceeds received by the state from the sale of allowances, excluding the amount used for commission and department administration under paragraph I, shall be allocated by the commission as follows:
(a) At least 15 35 percent to the low-income core energy efficiency program.
(b) Beginning January 1, 2014 2019, up to $2,000,000 no more than $5,000,000 annually to utility core programs for municipal, school district, and local government energy efficiency projects, including projects by local governments that have their own municipal utilities. Funding elements shall include, but not be limited to, funding for direct technical and project management assistance to identify and encourage comprehensive projects and incentives structured to assist municipal and local governments funding energy efficiency projects. In calendar years 2014, 2015, and 2016, 2017, and 2018 any unused funds allocated to municipal and local government projects under this paragraph remaining at the end of the year shall roll over and be added to the new calendar year program funds and continue to be made available exclusively for municipal and local government projects. Beginning in calendar year 2017 2019, and all subsequent years, funds allocated to municipal and local government projects under this paragraph shall be offered first to municipal and local governments as described in this paragraph for no less than 4 full calendar months. If, at the end of this time, municipal and local governments have not submitted requests for eligible projects that will expend the funds allocated to municipal and local government projects under this paragraph within that program year, the funds shall be offered on a first-come, first-serve basis to business and municipal customers who fund the system benefits charge go to a fuel neutral residential core energy efficiency program.
(c) The remainder to all-fuels, comprehensive energy efficiency programs administered by qualified parties which may include electric distribution companies as selected through a competitive bid process. The funding shall be distributed among residential, commercial, and industrial customers based upon each customer class's electricity usage to the greatest extent practicable as determined by the commission. Bids shall be evaluated based on, but not limited to, the following criteria:
(1) A benefit/cost ratio analysis including all fuels.
(2) Demonstrated ability to provide a comprehensive, fuel neutral program.
(3) Demonstrated infrastructure to effectively deliver such program.
(4) Experience of the bidder in administering energy efficiency programs.
(5) Ability to reach out to customers.
(6) The validity of the energy saving assumptions described in the bid.
2 Review and Report. The public utilities commission and the department of environmental services shall review the use of auction proceeds under RSA 125-O:23, III and shall submit a report, with recommendations to continue or revise the allocation of auction proceeds among the core programs based on program needs, to the house and senate finance committees, the speaker of the house of representatives, the president of the senate, the house clerk, the senate clerk, and director of legislative services on or before July 1, 2023.
3 Repeal. The following are repealed:
I. RSA 125-O:23, II, relative to rebates to retail electric ratepayers.
II. RSA 125-O:23, IV and V, relative to use of remaining proceeds received by the state from the sale of allowances.
4 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.
Text to be added highlighted in green.
1 Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative; Energy Efficiency Fund and Use of Auction Proceeds. Amend RSA 125-O:23, III to read as follows:
III. All proceeds received by the state from the sale of allowances, excluding the amount used for commission and department administration under paragraph I, shall be allocated by the commission as follows:
(a) At least 35 percent to the low-income core energy efficiency program.
(b) Beginning January 1, 2019, no more than $5,000,000 annually to utility core programs for municipal, school district, and local government energy efficiency projects, including projects by local governments that have their own municipal utilities. Funding elements shall include, but not be limited to, funding for direct technical and project management assistance to identify and encourage comprehensive projects and incentives structured to assist municipal and local governments funding energy efficiency projects. In calendar years 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018 any unused funds allocated to municipal and local government projects under this paragraph remaining at the end of the year shall roll over and be added to the new calendar year program funds and continue to be made available exclusively for municipal and local government projects. Beginning in calendar year 2019, and all subsequent years, funds allocated to municipal and local government projects under this paragraph shall be offered first to municipal and local governments as described in this paragraph for no less than 4 full calendar months. If, at the end of this time, municipal and local governments have not submitted requests for eligible projects that will expend the funds allocated to municipal and local government projects under this paragraph within that program year, the funds shall go to a fuel neutral residential core energy efficiency program.
(c) The remainder to all-fuels, comprehensive energy efficiency programs administered by qualified parties which may include electric distribution companies as selected through a competitive bid process. The funding shall be distributed among residential, commercial, and industrial customers based upon each customer class's electricity usage to the greatest extent practicable as determined by the commission. Bids shall be evaluated based on, but not limited to, the following criteria:
(1) A benefit/cost ratio analysis including all fuels.
(2) Demonstrated ability to provide a comprehensive, fuel neutral program.
(3) Demonstrated infrastructure to effectively deliver such program.
(4) Experience of the bidder in administering energy efficiency programs.
(5) Ability to reach out to customers.
(6) The validity of the energy saving assumptions described in the bid.
2 Review and Report. The public utilities commission and the department of environmental services shall review the use of auction proceeds under RSA 125-O:23, III and shall submit a report, with recommendations to continue or revise the allocation of auction proceeds among the core programs based on program needs, to the house and senate finance committees, the speaker of the house of representatives, the president of the senate, the house clerk, the senate clerk, and director of legislative services on or before July 1, 2023.
3 Repeal. The following are repealed:
I. RSA 125-O:23, II, relative to rebates to retail electric ratepayers.
II. RSA 125-O:23, IV and V, relative to use of remaining proceeds received by the state from the sale of allowances.
4 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.