Category Archives: shared clean energy

CPES Policy Committee Update: June 14, 2016

This update features policy, regulatory, legislative, and regional developments in Connecticut and New England. The policy updates are compiled by a team recently formed with support from CPES, known as the New Energy Professionals. If you are interested in learning more about the New Energy Professionals, the Policy Committee, or if you have ideas for future policy updates, we would welcome your input and feedback. Please send comments to Paul Brady, CPES Executive Director, via email: pbrady@ctpower.org.

 

This week’s features:

  • DEEP issues RFP for Shared Clean Energy Facility Pilot Program
  • PURA holds hearings on Eversource and UI rates
  • Governor Malloy signs more energy related bills into law
  • Agenda and speakers announce for upcoming ISO NE’s Consumer Liaison Group Meeting on June 17th

 

Connecticut Policy/Regulatory Update: Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection

The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (“DEEP”) has issued an updated draft RFP for its Shared Clean Energy Facility Pilot Program issued pursuant to Public Act 15-113. The draft RFP intends to solicit offers for Shared Clean Energy Facilities sized from 500 kW and no greater than 2,000 kW to implement the pilot program required under the Act. Additional requirements relate to the experience of the bidder and subscriber structure. Comments are due on the draft RFP by June 20, 2016. DEEP expects to issue a final RFP by July 1, 2016. The draft RFP is available at the following link.

Eversource and UI have their rate adjustment review hearings before PURA on Tuesday, June 14th.  See PURA calendar http://www.dpuc.state.ct.us/dockcurr.nsf/$FormWebTSPURACalendarView?OpenForm.

 

CONNECTICUT LEGISLATION:

Information about the Energy and Technology Committee, including committee meetings and public hearings, is available at: https://www.cga.ct.gov/et/.

On June 7, 2016, Governor Malloy signed the following legislation of the 2016 Regular Session that may be of interest to our members:

  • S.B. No. 334:  AN ACT CONCERNING REVISIONS TO CERTAIN ENERGY PURCHASING POOL AND LIFE-CYCLE COST ANALYSES STATUTES.
  • H.B. No. 5510:  AN ACT CONCERNING ELECTRIC AND FUEL CELL ELECTRIC VEHICLES.

On June 9, 2016, Governor Malloy signed the following legislation of the 2016 Regular Session that may be of interest to our members:

  • H.B. No. 5496:  AN ACT CONCERNING CERTAIN VIRTUAL NET METERING FACILITIES.

On June 10, 2016, Governor Malloy signed the following legislation of the 2016 Regular Session that may be of interest to our members:

  • B. No. 366:AN ACT CONCERNING ADMINISTRATION OF THE CONNECTICUT GREEN BANK, THE PRIORITY OF THE BENEFIT ASSESSMENTS LIEN UNDER THE GREEN BANK’S COMMERCIAL SUSTAINABLE ENERGY PROGRAM AND THE GREEN BANK’S SOLAR HOME RENEWABLE ENERGY CREDIT PROGRAM.
  • B. No. 394:  AN ACT CONCERNING AUTHORIZATIONS RELATING TO VIRTUAL NET METERING.  

Regional and Industry Developments

New England Consumer Liaison Group Meeting Will Focus on Electricity Security

Registration is still open for the next New England Consumer Liaison Group meeting scheduled for June 17, 2016 at the DoubleTree Hotel in Westborough, Massachusetts. The Consumer Liaison Group is a forum for the exchange of information between ISO New England and electricity consumers in New England.

Congressman Jim McGovern will give the keynote address. The topic for the panel discussion will be Electricity Security for Consumers: How Rapidly Changing Technology Deployment Is Altering the Way Consumers Use Electricity and What They Need to Plan for in Terms of Security and Resiliency. Panelists will include:

  • Mukund Ravipaty, Director, Enterprise Security Architecture, National Grid
  • Christine Hallquist, Chief Executive Officer, Vermont Electric Cooperative
  • EnerNOC – TBD

To register for the meeting, please click here. Additional information on the Consumer Liaison Group is available at: http://www.iso-ne.com/committees/industry-collaborations/consumer-liaison.

 

CPES Policy Committee Update: June 7, 2016

This update features policy, regulatory, legislative, and regional developments in Connecticut and New England. The policy updates are compiled by a team recently formed with support from CPES, known as the New Energy Professionals. If you are interested in learning more about the New Energy Professionals, the Policy Committee, or if you have ideas for future policy updates, we would welcome your input and feedback. Please send comments to Paul Brady, CPES Executive Director, via email: pbrady@ctpower.org.

This week’s features:

  • UI seeks to increase distribution rates
  • Governor Malloy signs bills into law
  • Real-time prices for wind-powered resources

 

Connecticut Policy/Regulatory Update: Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection

The United Illuminating Company has filed a preliminary notice to PURA to increase its distribution rates. PURA has assigned the request Docket No. 16-06-04, Application of The United Illuminating Company to Increase Its Rates and Charges. In its request UI has proposed to increase annual rates by $46 million in 2017, $52 million in 2018 and $43 million in 2019. UI is currently operating under a base-rate freeze through December 31, 2016 that was a commitment made as part of the UIL-Iberdrola USA merger. The PURA docket and UI notice is available at the following link.

 

CONNECTICUT LEGISLATION:

Information about the Energy and Technology Committee, including committee meetings and public hearings, is available at: https://www.cga.ct.gov/et/.

On May 25, 2016, Governor Malloy signed the following legislation of the 2016 Regular Session that may be of interest to our section members:

  • H.B. No. 5242:  AN ACT CONCERNING AGRICULTURAL VIRTUAL NET METERING.

On May 31, 2016, Governor Malloy signed the following legislation of the 2016 Regular Session that may be of interest to our section members:

  • H.B. No. 5427:  AN ACT CONCERNING THE SHARED CLEAN ENERGY FACILITY PILOT PROGRAM.

On June 2, 2016, Governor Malloy signed the following legislation of the 2016 Special Session that may be of interest to our section members:

  • S.B. No. 501:  AN ACT ADJUSTING THE STATE BUDGET FOR THE BIENNIUM ENDING JUNE 30, 2017.
  • S.B. No. 502:  AN ACT CONCERNING REVENUE AND OTHER ITEMS TO IMPLEMENT THE BUDGET FOR THE BIENNIUM ENDING JUNE 30, 2017.

 

Regional and Industry Developments

ISO New England Incorporates Wind-Powered Resources into Real-Time Dispatch with Do-Not-Exceed Dispatch Project

On May 25, 2016, the region’s wind-powered resources and intermittent hydro resources began taking electronic dispatch instructions from ISO New England for the first time and became eligible to set real-time prices in the wholesale electricity marketplace. These changes were made possible by the Do-Not-Exceed (DNE) Dispatch Project in which the ISO worked with stakeholders to implement a modified electronic dispatch method for these intermittent resources. The new system is expected to improve price formation in the marketplace and system use of low-cost renewable resources in areas with limited transmission capacity by:

  • Enabling wind and intermittent hydro resources to set the price at their locations on the basis of their economic offers
  • Allowing the Real-Time Energy Market to properly price congestion at their locations

The changes are also expected to minimize manual generator curtailments and improve ISO New England’s ability to manage the system during rapidly shifting weather conditions. For more information on the DNE Dispatch Project, see the ISO Newswire.