2015 -- H 5079

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LC000257

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2015

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS -- RENEWABLE ENERGY

STANDARD

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Ruggiero, Handy, Hearn, Shekarchi, and Ackerman

     Date Introduced: January 14, 2015

     Referred To: House Corporations

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Sections 39-26-4 and 39-26-6 of the General Laws in Chapter 39-26

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entitled "Renewable Energy Standard" are hereby amended to read as follows:

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     39-26-4. Renewable energy standard. -- (a) Starting in compliance year 2007, all

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obligated entities shall obtain at least three percent (3%) of the electricity they sell at retail to

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Rhode Island end-use customers, adjusted for electric line losses, from eligible renewable energy

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resources, escalating, according to the following schedule:

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      (1) At least three percent (3%) of retail electricity sales in compliance year 2007;

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      (2) An additional one half of one percent (0.5%) of retail electricity sales in each of the

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following compliance years 2008, 2009, 2010;

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      (3) An additional one percent (1%) of retail electricity sales in each of the following

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compliance years 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, provided that the commission has determined the

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adequacy, or potential adequacy, of renewable energy supplies to meet these percentage

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requirements;

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      (4) An additional one and one half percent (1.5%) of retail electricity sales in each of the

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following compliance years 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019, and each year thereafter until

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2035, provided that the commission has determined the adequacy, pursuant to § 39-26-6, or

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potential adequacy of renewable energy supplies to meet these percentage requirements; .

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      (5) In 2020 and each year thereafter, the minimum renewable energy standard

 

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established in 2019 shall be maintained unless the commission shall determine that such

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maintenance is no longer necessary for either amortization of investments in new renewable

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energy resources or for maintaining targets and objectives for renewable energy.

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      (b) For each obligated entity and in each compliance year, the amount of retail electricity

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sales used to meet obligations under this statute that is derived from existing renewable energy

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resources shall not exceed two percent (2%) of total retail electricity sales.

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      (c) The minimum renewable energy percentages set forth in subsection (a) above shall be

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met for each electrical energy product offered to end-use customers, in a manner that ensures that

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the amount of renewable energy of end-use customers voluntarily purchasing renewable energy is

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not counted toward meeting such percentages.

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      (d) To the extent consistent with the requirements of this chapter, compliance with the

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renewable energy standard may be demonstrated through procurement of NE-GIS certificates

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relating to generating units certified by the commission as using eligible renewable energy

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sources, as evidenced by reports issued by the NE-GIS administrator. Procurement of NE-GIS

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certificates from off-grid and customer-sited generation facilities, if located in Rhode Island and

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verified by the commission as eligible renewable energy resources, may also be used to

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demonstrate compliance. With the exception of contracts for generation supply entered into prior

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to 2002, initial title to NE-GIS certificates from off-grid and customer-sited generation facilities

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and from all other eligible renewable energy resources shall accrue to the owner of such a

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generation facility, unless such title has been explicitly deemed transferred pursuant to contract or

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regulatory order.

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      (e) In lieu of providing NE-GIS certificates pursuant to subsection (d) of this section, an

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obligated entity may also discharge all or any portion of its compliance obligations by making an

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alternative compliance payment to the Renewable Energy Development Fund established

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pursuant to § 39-26-7.

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     39-26-6. Duties of the commission. -- The commission shall:

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      (a) Develop and adopt regulations on or before December 31, 2005, for implementing a

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renewable energy standard, which regulations shall include, but be limited to, provisions for:

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      (1) Verifying the eligibility of renewable energy generators and the production of energy

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from such generators, including requirements to notify the commission in the event of a change in

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a generator's eligibility status.

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      (2) Standards for contracts and procurement plans for renewable energy resources, to

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achieve the purposes of this chapter.

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      (3) Flexibility mechanisms for the purposes of easing compliance burdens, facilitating

 

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bringing new renewable resources on-line, and avoiding and/or mitigating conflicts with state

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level source disclosure requirements and green marketing claims throughout the region; which

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flexibility mechanisms shall allow obligated entities to:

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     (i) demonstrate compliance over a compliance year;

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     (ii) bank excess compliance for two (2) subsequent compliance years, capped at thirty

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percent (30%) of the current year's obligation; and

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     (iii) allow renewable energy generated during 2006 to be banked by an obligated entity as

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early compliance, usable towards meeting an obligated entity's 2007 requirement. Generation

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used for early compliance must result in the retirement of NE-GIS certificate in a reserved

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certificate account designated for such purposes.

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      (4) Annual compliance filings to be made by all obligated entities within one month after

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NE-GIS reports are available for the fourth (4th) quarter of each calendar year. All electric utility

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distribution companies shall cooperate with the commission in providing data necessary to assess

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the magnitude of obligation and verify the compliance of all obligated entities.

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      (b) Authorize rate recovery by electric utility distribution companies of all prudent

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incremental costs arising from the implementation of this chapter, including, without limitation,

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the purchase of NE-GIS certificates, the payment of alternative compliance payments, required

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payments to support the NE-GIS, assessments made pursuant to § 39-26-7(c) and the incremental

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costs of complying with energy source disclosure requirements.

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      (c) Certify eligible renewable energy resources by issuing statements of qualification

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within ninety (90) days of application. The commission shall provide prospective reviews for

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applicants seeking to determine whether a facility would be eligible.

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      (d) Determine, on or before January 1, 2010 2019, and every fifth year thereafter, the

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adequacy, or potential adequacy, of renewable energy supplies to meet the increase in the

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percentage requirement of energy from renewable energy resources to go into effect the following

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year. in 2011 and determine on or before January 1, 2014, the adequacy or potential adequacy, of

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renewable energy supplies to meet the increase in the percentage requirement of energy from

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renewable energy resources to go into effect in 2015. In making such determinations the

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commission shall consider among other factors the historical use of alternative compliance

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payments in Rhode Island and other states in the NEPOOL region. In the event that the

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commission determines an inadequacy or potential inadequacy of supplies for scheduled

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percentage increases, the commission shall may delay all or a part of the implementation of the

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scheduled percentage increase for a period of not more than three (3) years, and increase the

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applicable standard during subsequent years by an equal percentage in order one year or

 

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recommend to the general assembly a revised schedule of percentage increases, if any, to achieve

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the purposes of this chapter.

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      (e) Establish sanctions for those obligated entities that after investigation have been

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found to fail to reasonably comply with the commission's regulations. No sanction or penalty

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shall relieve or diminish an obligated entity from liability for fulfilling any shortfall in its

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compliance obligation; provided, however, that no sanction shall be imposed if compliance is

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achieved through alternative compliance payments. The commission may suspend or revoke the

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certification of generation units, certified in accordance with subsection (c) above, that are found

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to provide false information, or that fail to notify the commission in the event of a change in

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eligibility status or otherwise comply with its rules. Financial penalties resulting from sanctions

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from obligated entities shall not be recoverable in rates.

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      (f) Report, by February 15, 2006, and by February 15 each year thereafter, to the

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governor, the speaker of the house and the president of the senate on the status of the

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implementation of the renewable energy standards in Rhode Island and other states, and which

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report shall include in 2009, and each year thereafter, the level of use of renewable energy

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certificates by eligible renewable energy resources and the portion of renewable energy standards

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met through alternative compliance payments, and the amount of rate increases authorized

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pursuant to subsection (b) above.

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      (g) Consistent with the public policy objective of developing renewable generation as an

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option in Rhode Island, and subject to the review and approval of the commission the electric

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distribution company is authorized to propose and implement pilot programs to own and operate

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no more than fifteen megawatts (1 W) of renewable generation demonstration projects in

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Rhode Island and may include the costs and benefits in rates to distribution customers. At least

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two (2) demonstration projects shall include renewable generation installed at or in the vicinity of

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nonprofit affordable housing projects where energy savings benefits are provided to reduce

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electric bills of the customers at the nonprofit affordable housing projects. Any renewable

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generation proposals shall be subject to the review and approval of the commission. The

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commission shall annually make an adjustment to the minimum amounts required under the

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renewable energy standard under chapter 39-26 in an amount equal to the kilowatt hours

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generated by such units owned by the electric distribution company. The electric and gas

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distribution company shall also be authorized to propose and implement smart metering and

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smart grid demonstration projects in Rhode Island, subject to the review and approval of the

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commission, in order to determine the effectiveness of such new technologies for reducing and

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managing energy consumption, and may include the costs of such demonstration projects in

 

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distribution rates to electric customers to the extent the project pertains to electricity usage and in

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distribution rates to gas customers to the extent the project pertains to gas usage.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS -- RENEWABLE ENERGY

STANDARD

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     This act would extend the 2004 Renewable Energy Standard Schedule Program, which

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required the suppliers of retail electricity to obtain minimum increasing amounts of renewable

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energy resources, beyond 2019 to 2035.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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