SENATE FILE 334

BY  HOGG

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to potential energy and capacity savings assessments conducted by specified gas and electric public utilities.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

   Section 1.  Section 476.6, subsection 16, paragraph b, Code 2011, is amended to read as follows:
   b.
  (1)  A gas and electric utility required to be rate-regulated under this chapter shall assess potential energy and capacity savings available from actual and projected customer usage by applying commercially available technology and improved operating practices to energy-using equipment and buildings. The utility shall submit the assessment to the board.  The utility shall also assess for the succeeding twenty-year period the following:
   (a)  Projected energy demand.
   (b)  Energy efficiency and conservation trends, practices, and requirements.
   (c)  Industrial cogeneration of electricity.
   (d)  Renewable energy trends, practices, and requirements.
   (e)  Transmission improvements.
   (f)  Options for meeting the projected demand through means other than energy efficiency.
   (g)  Projected environmental impacts including greenhouse gas emissions.
   (h)  Projected grid reliability.
   (i)  Projected energy costs.
   (j)  Projected energy supply payments to citizens of this state.
   (k)  Projected energy-related employment outlook and impact.
   (2)  The utility shall submit the assessments specified in subparagraph (1) to the board. Upon receipt of the assessment assessments, the board shall consult with the office of energy independence to develop specific capacity and energy savings performance standards for each utility. The utility shall submit an energy efficiency plan which shall include economically achievable programs designed to attain these energy and capacity performance standards. The board shall periodically report the energy efficiency results including energy savings of each utility to the general assembly.
EXPLANATION
   This bill expands energy-related assessments which gas and electric utilities subject to rate-regulation by the Iowa utilities board are required to conduct and submit to the board.
   Currently, gas and electric utilities required to be rate-regulated are required to assess potential energy and capacity savings available from actual and projected customer usage by applying commercially available technology and improved operating practices to energy-using equipment and buildings. The bill adds additional factors or issues to be assessed over a 20-year period. They include assessing projected energy demand; energy efficiency and conservation trends, practices, and requirements; industrial cogeneration of electricity; renewable energy trends, practices, and requirements; transmission improvements; options for meeting the projected demand through means other than energy efficiency; projected environmental impacts including greenhouse gas emissions; projected grid reliability; projected energy costs; projected energy supply payments to citizens of this state; and the projected energy-related employment outlook and impact.