Legislative Session number- 85

Bill Name: SF0997

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
(me)