3E Relating to energy

ARTICLE 1 - ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND CONSERVATION

Requiring public utilities filing for rate changes to reference generation and transmission cooperative energy conservation improvement plans; excluding energy conservation improvements investments and expenses from large energy facilities just and reasonable gas rates; requiring the public utilities commission (PUC) to allow public utilities to reduce the gas rate applicable to large energy facilities; allowing the PUC to approve electric utility petitions for rate schedules to recover electric utility infrastructure costs (EUIC), specifying filing requirements; establishing a state energy conservation policy goal; modifying energy conservation improvement provisions, defining certain terms and modifying certain definitions; authorizing the commissioner of commerce to rescind exemptions on basis of lack of reasonable effort to identify energy conservation improvements and removing the provision for utility determination of conservation improvement set aside; modifying the definition of certain municipal providers; prohibiting municipalities and associations from spending for energy conservation improvements directly benefiting large energy facilities; requiring municipalities and cooperatives to file energy efficiency and conservation improvement plans and requiring commissioner plans approval; removing certain evaluation; commissioner review and municipality contribution provisions, authorizing district heating or cooling systems (HVAC) expenditures to considered load management activities, requiring utilities and associations to have certain annual energy savings goals; requiring the commissioner to adopt a filing schedule designed to have all utilities and associations operating under an energy savings plan by a certain year; allowing utility and associations adjustment requests; clarifying energy savings goals and cost effectiveness; requiring the commissioner to make public annual energy savings and estimated carbon dioxide reductions achieved by the conservation improvement program; providing for commissioner technical assistance, applied research and development grants and facilities energy efficiency; removing special consideration for programs using energy efficient lighting; modifying commissioner responsibilities; requiring the PUC to allow cooperative electric associations expenses recovery; requiring PUC performance incentives adjustment; requiring commissioner assurance of low income programs offerings; requiring the PUC to establish criteria and standards for decoupling, requiring the PUC to allow rate regulated pilot programs to assess rate decoupling merits

ARTICLE 2 - MISCELLANEOUS

Requiring school districts to provide copies of guaranteed energy savings contracts to the commissioner of commerce; requiring the commissioner of commerce in coordination with certain other state agency commissioners, the chancellor of the Minnesota state colleges and universities (MNSCU) and the president of the university of Minnesota to identify policy options, barriers and economic benefits and costs for state government operation to achieve energy savings goals and the resulting carbon emission reductions, requiring the commissioner to report to the legislature by a certain date; modifying commissioner energy audit program requirements; requiring municipalities entering into guaranteed energy savings contracts to provide a copy to the commissioner of commerce; requiring landlords to make premises reasonably energy efficient by installing weatherstripping, caulking, storm windows and storm doors; repealing provisions relating to energy audits, energy conservation in existing residences and certain remedies for health and safety violations and certain rules
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