House advances broad Public Utility Commission bill with energy, data and thermal network provisions (S.305)
May 07, 2024 | HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Committees, Legislative , Vermont
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Representative from Worcester (committee reporter) presented S.305, a strike-all bill making multiple changes to statutes governing the Public Utility Commission, the Department of Public Service, and related energy programs. The speaker summarized the principal revisions and new provisions the House is proposing in place of the Senate text.
Major floor highlights: the bill standardizes notice requirements for PUC hearings to 12 days; harmonizes the definition of “energy storage facility” across statutes; authorizes use of up to $2,000,000 from an electric-efficiency surcharge for greenhouse-gas reduction programs (including electrification initiatives); and extends the deadline to designate a default delivery agent for a potential clean-heat standard to Sept. 1, 2025. The bill also provides the PUC and Department of Public Service perpetual access to certain fuel-sales data for regulatory purposes and sets fees for certificates of public good related to energy-storage facilities.
On energy-savings accounts (ESA), the House amendment sets a $2,000,000 cap on the ESA and a $1,000,000 cap on the customer-credit program; the reporter described these programs as pilot efforts targeted at a small number of the state’s largest electric users. The bill adds definitions and clarifications for thermal energy and thermal energy networks, removes the requirement that municipalities obtain a certificate of public good to build or operate a thermal energy network, and asks the PUC for a report on permitting and support for thermal energy networks due Dec. 1, 2025.
Members from Ways and Means and Environment & Energy committees spoke in support, describing narrow technical fixes, fee clarifications for collocated facilities, and several reporting requirements intended to aid future rulemaking. The House adopted committee amendments and ordered third reading by voice vote; the report and amendment were approved and the House proposed the changes to the Senate.
Because the floor action was by voice vote, numerical roll-call tallies are not included in the House transcript. The bill as amended directs multiple agency reports and deadline extensions that will shape rulemaking and compliance steps over the next year and into 2025.
Major floor highlights: the bill standardizes notice requirements for PUC hearings to 12 days; harmonizes the definition of “energy storage facility” across statutes; authorizes use of up to $2,000,000 from an electric-efficiency surcharge for greenhouse-gas reduction programs (including electrification initiatives); and extends the deadline to designate a default delivery agent for a potential clean-heat standard to Sept. 1, 2025. The bill also provides the PUC and Department of Public Service perpetual access to certain fuel-sales data for regulatory purposes and sets fees for certificates of public good related to energy-storage facilities.
On energy-savings accounts (ESA), the House amendment sets a $2,000,000 cap on the ESA and a $1,000,000 cap on the customer-credit program; the reporter described these programs as pilot efforts targeted at a small number of the state’s largest electric users. The bill adds definitions and clarifications for thermal energy and thermal energy networks, removes the requirement that municipalities obtain a certificate of public good to build or operate a thermal energy network, and asks the PUC for a report on permitting and support for thermal energy networks due Dec. 1, 2025.
Members from Ways and Means and Environment & Energy committees spoke in support, describing narrow technical fixes, fee clarifications for collocated facilities, and several reporting requirements intended to aid future rulemaking. The House adopted committee amendments and ordered third reading by voice vote; the report and amendment were approved and the House proposed the changes to the Senate.
Because the floor action was by voice vote, numerical roll-call tallies are not included in the House transcript. The bill as amended directs multiple agency reports and deadline extensions that will shape rulemaking and compliance steps over the next year and into 2025.
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