Dive Brief:
- A bill that would exempt large commercial and industrial power users from mandatory efficiency goals is likely to die in a Pennsylvania House committee, as the state's legislative session will end before any new meetings are planned, the Public News Service reports.
- Senate Bill 805 would allow some large consumers to opt-out of the state’s utility efficiency program, Act 129, avoiding paying into a statewide efficiency fund and bypassing efficiency requirements.
- Public News Service says many large consumers say the efficiency programs are not helping them save money, while clean energy advocates say on whole the efficiency fund benefits customers at about $2 for every $1 spent.
Dive Insight:
A measure that would halt mandatory efficiency programs for large Pennsylvania consumers will likely not move forward this year, Public News Service reports, as the legislative session appears likely to end before additional actions or votes could be taken.
The Senate passed the measure 33-15 last month. It was subsequently referred to the House Consumer Affairs Committee, which has no more scheduled meetings this year. Environmentalists warn, however, that it is likely to return next session.
"We do expect that it will get reintroduced next year, and that we're going to have to continue our advocacy to make sure that we are doing as much as we can to reduce energy waste in Pennsylvania," Tom Schuster, senior campaign representative for the Sierra Club, told PNS.
Six years ago, the state passed Act 129, which directed all large utilities to develop conservation programs, funded rebates and administered efficiency programs. But large consumers have said the fees they pay return little benefit, and they say they are better equipped to manage their own efficiency programs and save energy.
Act 129 required the state's utilities to cut overall electric use by 3% and peak demand in the top 100 hours of the year by 4.5%
