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Summer Energy Symposium Keep the Lights on and Lower the Costs

Summer Energy Symposium Keep the Lights on and Lower the Costs. Take Action Now: What You Can Do. Smith, Segel & Ruddock June 28, 2011. S. 1679 – An Act Relative to Competitively Priced Electricity in the Commonwealth. Situation

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Summer Energy Symposium Keep the Lights on and Lower the Costs

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  1. Summer Energy SymposiumKeep the Lights on and Lower the Costs Take Action Now: What You Can Do Smith, Segel & Ruddock June 28, 2011

  2. S. 1679 – An Act Relative to Competitively Priced Electricity in the Commonwealth Situation • Massachusetts: Highest or near the highest cost of electricity in the United States. • High prices are contributing to the high cost of doing business in Massachusetts. • Passage of the Green Communities Act added costs to ratepayer bills. • Rate cases before the Department of Public Utilities have resulted in enormous and unexpected rate increases. Smith, Segel & Ruddock June 28, 2011

  3. S. 1679 – An Act Relative to Competitively Priced Electricity in the Commonwealth Solutions • Municipal light companies get funding for energy efficiency from RGGI. • Prohibits utilities from passing to ratepayers costs of fuel for certain renewable power plants owned by utilities. • Changes Section 83 of the GCA, long-term contracts for renewable power – cost recovery. • Allows out of state renewable generators to compete equally with instate generators for long-term contracts with utilities. Smith, Segel & Ruddock June 28, 2011

  4. S. 1679 – An Act Relative to Competitively Priced Electricity in the Commonwealth Solutions, continued • Requires utilities to provide accurate and timely itemized information to businesses – reasons and impact of increases. • Mandatory phase-in period for any increase over 10% of a current distribution rate approved by the DPU. • Discretionary phase-in period upon request for non-residential ratepayers with greater than a 15% increase distribution costs approved by the DPU. • Allows utilities to recover revenue for loss of consumption (decoupling) only when the loss of revenue is due only to energy efficiency programs. Smith, Segel & Ruddock June 28, 2011

  5. S. 1680 - Energy Efficiency Amendment Situation • Each utility in Massachusetts has energy efficiency programs funded by all ratepayers. • Individual ratepayers can access this funding by applying to the utility for monies under various programs. • This necessarily means that some funding is absorbed by administrative costs which costs ratepayers the use of the entire funding they are contributing. Smith, Segel & Ruddock June 28, 2011

  6. S. 1680 - Energy Efficiency Amendment Solution • On a pilot basis allow certain ratepayers to keep the money they would otherwise pay the utility. • Require those ratepayer to commit to absolutely spending the retained monies for energy efficiency programs or demand management • Eliminates middleman costs, empowers ratepayers to make investment they need for reducing energy use • Guarantees the monies are spend and targeted to investments unique/effective for the specific ratepayer. Smith, Segel & Ruddock June 28, 2011

  7. Call/Write for More Information: Robert Ruddock Smith, Segel & Ruddock 50 Congress Street, Suite 500 Boston, MA 02109 (617) 523.0600 rruddock@srhpublicpolicy.com

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