HF 4068

as introduced - 90th Legislature (2017 - 2018) Posted on 03/21/2018 11:56am

A bill for an act
relating to energy; repealing the authority of the commissioner of commerce to
assess utilities for activities under the conservation improvement program; repealing
Minnesota Statutes 2017 Supplement, section 216B.241, subdivision 1d.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1. new text begin REPEALER.
new text end

new text begin Minnesota Statutes 2017 Supplement, section 216B.241, subdivision 1d, new text end new text begin is repealed.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment and
applies to any assessment made under this section on or after that date.
new text end

APPENDIX

Repealed Minnesota Statutes: 18-7323

216B.241 ENERGY CONSERVATION IMPROVEMENT.

Subd. 1d.

Technical assistance.

(a) The commissioner shall evaluate energy conservation improvement programs on the basis of cost-effectiveness and the reliability of the technologies employed. The commissioner shall, by order, establish, maintain, and update energy-savings assumptions that must be used when filing energy conservation improvement programs. The commissioner shall establish an inventory of the most effective energy conservation programs, techniques, and technologies, and encourage all Minnesota utilities to implement them, where appropriate, in their service territories. The commissioner shall describe these programs in sufficient detail to provide a utility reasonable guidance concerning implementation. The commissioner shall prioritize the opportunities in order of potential energy savings and in order of cost-effectiveness. The commissioner may contract with a third party to carry out any of the commissioner's duties under this subdivision, and to obtain technical assistance to evaluate the effectiveness of any conservation improvement program. The commissioner may assess up to $850,000 annually for the purposes of this subdivision. The assessments must be deposited in the state treasury and credited to the energy and conservation account created under subdivision 2a. An assessment made under this subdivision is not subject to the cap on assessments provided by section 216B.62, or any other law.

(b) Of the assessment authorized under paragraph (a), the commissioner may expend up to $400,000 annually for the purpose of developing, operating, maintaining, and providing technical support for a uniform electronic data reporting and tracking system available to all utilities subject to this section, in order to enable accurate measurement of the cost and energy savings of the energy conservation improvements required by this section. This paragraph expires June 30, 2018.