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RPS Connecticut
(Last Updated July 1st, 2004)
RENEWABLE PORTFOLIO STANDARDS—STATE SUMMARY
I. POLICY
II. ADMINISTRATION
III. FINANCING
IV. CRITICAL ELEMENTS
V. POLICY/PROGRAM ASSESSMENT
VI. PUBLIC OUTREACH
AND EDUCATION
I. POLICY
Date Enacted
June 26, 2003 (SB 733)
April 29, 1998 (HB 5005)
Effective Date
July 1, 2003 (SB 733)
January 1, 2000 (HB 5005)
Time Period
July 1, 2000–January 1, 2010
Extensions to Time Period
Maximum renewables requirement reached in 2010, to remain
constant thereafter. No provision for discontinuance of RPS
after 2010 is specified.
Applicable Laws, Orders, and Regulations
PUBLIC ACT NO. 03-135 (2003)
Substitute Senate Bill No. 733, An Act Concerning Revisions
To The Electric Restructuring Legislation
http://www.cga.state.ct.us/2003/act/Pa/2003PA-00135-R00SB-00733-PA.htm
PUBLIC ACT NO. 03-221 (2003)
House Bill No. 6428, An Act Concerning Technical Revisions
To The Utility Statutes And Telecommunications Towers On Agricultural
Land.
http://www.cga.state.ct.us/2003/act/Pa/2003PA-00221-R00HB-06428-PA.htm
Previous RPS Legislation
Public Act No. 98-28 (1998)
Substitute House Bill No. 5005, An Act Concerning Electric
Restructuring
http://www.cga.state.ct.us/ps98/act/pa/pa%2D0028.htm
Public Act No. 99-225 (June 29, 1999)
Substitute House Bill No. 6621, An Act Concerning Revisions
to Certain Programs and Operations of the Department of
Environmental Protection
http://www.cga.state.ct.us/ps99/act/pa/1999pa-00225-r00hb-06621-pa.htm
House Bill No. 5428 (2002)
An Act Concerning Electric Restructuring: To update the
provisions of Public Act 98-28
http://www.cga.state.ct.us/2002/cbs/H/HB-5428.htm
Connecticut Light and Power Company Rider N: Self-Generator
Net Energy Billing Service
http://www.cl-p.com/clpcommon/PDFs/online/business/bill/rates/ridern.pdf
Docket 02-04-14: DPUC Promulgation of Regulations for Renewable
Energy Portfolio Requirements and Customer Disclosure (2002).
This Docket is active as of October 2003. See the DPUC docket
database website for current information:
http://www.state.ct.us/DPUC/database.htm
Description
The Connecticut RPS has been updated twice since its original passage as a part of utility restructuring in 1998. The most recent restructuring legislation, SB 733, was passed in 2003 and is incorporated in Public Act 03-135, which modifies previous renewable generation targets, expands the scope of electricity providers required to meet the standard, and expands the definition of eligible renewables. Public Act 03-221 subsequently modified certain portions of Public Act 03-135.
In 1998, Section 25 of Public Act 98-28 created a generation based standard requiring 6% of all end-use power to be supplied by renewable sources beginning July 2000, ramping up to 13% in 2009. Separate generation requirements are provided for renewables classified as "Class I" or "Class II". A number of electricity suppliers were exempt from the RPS, which reduced its effectiveness. Exempt electric suppliers include (A) private power producers, (B) exempt wholesale generators, (C) non-participating municipal electric utilities, (D) municipal electric energy cooperatives, (E) electric cooperatives, and (F) any other electric utility owned, leased, maintained, operated, managed or controlled by any unit of local government. The municipal electric utilities were not required to meet restructuring requirements, but could choose to “opt-in” to competition if they wish, in which case they would be subject to the RPS.
In 2002 additional regulations for renewable energy portfolio requirements and customer disclosure were under consideration. These regulations were contained in House Bill 5428 (2002) and DPUC Docket 02-04-14. Though HB 5428 received favorable votes in Committee, it was tabled on April 23, 2003 and was never signed into law. Under Docket 02-04-14, proposed regulations would provide a framework for certifying renewable energy generators as Class I or Class II renewable energy, and would replace current rules governing how electric suppliers demonstrate compliance with the RPS requirement in favor of a system that depends on the generation information system recently adopted by NEPOOL. Furthermore, the regulations would establish disclosure requirements for electric suppliers that are based on the NECPUC Model Rule on disclosure.
As of 2003 Public Act 03-135 requires that an electric distribution company providing transitional standard offer service, standard service, supplier of last resort service or back-up electric generation service shall contract with its wholesale suppliers to comply with the renewable portfolio standards. The legislation specifies a new effective date for the RPS, with the renewable obligation to begin in 2004 with 4% of the total output or services from all electric suppliers and electric distribution companies derived from renewable resources. The renewable obligation increases each year, leveling off at 10% renewable generation in 2010 and subsequent years. The Class I and Class II eligible renewable tier structure is maintained, with the addition of ocean thermal power, wave or tidal power, and run-of-the-river hydropower. In addition, the act creates a system benefits charge to be accumulated in a State Renewable Energy Investment Fund, and requires Connecticut utilities to obtain long-term (10 year minimum) contracts for projects using Fund supported Class I renewables totaling 100MW jointly by July 1, 2007.
Program Name
Renewable Portfolio Standard
Standard
| Applicable Date |
Total % Renewable Generation |
Class I Renewable % Generation Requirement |
Class II Renewable % Generation Requirement |
| January 1, 2004 - December 31, 2004 |
4.0% |
1.0% |
3.0% |
| January 1, 2005 - December 31, 2005 |
4.5% |
1.5% |
3.0% |
| January 1, 2006 - December 31, 2006 |
5.0% |
2.0% |
3.0% |
| January 1, 2007 - December 31, 2007 |
6.5% |
3.5% |
3.0% |
| January 1, 2008 - December 31, 2008 |
8.0% |
5.0% |
3.0% |
| January 1, 2009 - December 31, 2009 |
9.0% |
6.0% |
3.0% |
| January 1, 2010 – onward |
10.0% |
7.0% |
3.0% |
Eligibility Date
Class I sustainable biomass with capacity less than 500 kW which began operating prior to July 1, 2003 is eligible. Class I hydropower must have began operation on or after July 1, 2003. Class II hydropower of 5 MW or less and beginning operation prior to July 1, 2003 is eligible.
Generation Limit
No cap to renewable generation is specified.
Fuels/Technologies
Class I Renewable Energy Sources:
· Solar electric power
· Wind power
· Fuel cells
· Methane gas from landfills
· Sustainable biomass provided the average NOx emission rate is no greater than 0.075 lbs/MMBtu of heat input for the previous calendar quarter. Use of land clearing debris, tree stumps, and other regenerative biomass that will not result in the depletion of resources are specifically included as eligible biomass fuels.
· Sustainable biomass of less than 500 kW that began construction prior to July 1, 2003
· Ocean thermal power
· Wave or tidal power
· Run-of-the-river hydropower of 5 MW or less and beginning operation after July 1, 2003
· Low emission advanced renewable energy conversion technologies
· Distributed generation (end-user sited) from any Class I resource
Class II Renewable Energy Sources:
· Trash-to-energy
· Biomass (other than class I) provided the average NOx emission rate is no greater than 0.20 lbs/MMBtu of heat input for the previous calendar quarter
· Run-of-the-river hydropower of 5 MW or less and beginning operation prior to July 1, 2003
II. ADMINISTRATION
Administering Entities
Connecticut Department of Public Utility Control
Type of Entity
State
Administrative Contacts
Connecticut Department of Public Utility Control
Ten Franklin Square, New Britain, CT 06051
(860) 827-1553
http://www.state.ct.us/dpuc
III. FINANCING
Funding Level
No specific funding level
Funding Source
Funded through the rate base, which includes the renewable energy investment charge
as well as the system benefits charge.
Cost Cap
Long-term contracts beginning July 2007 for State Renewable Energy Investment Fund
supported projects are limited to the total of the comparable wholesale market price
for generation plus five and one-half cents per kilowatt-hour.
Charge
Rates determined by DPUC.
IV. CRITICAL ELEMENTS
Trading
An electric supplier or electric distribution company may satisfy the requirements of
the RPS by participating in a renewable energy trading program within the jurisdiction
of New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, and Delaware, as approved by the Department
of Public Utility Control. Renewable generation certificates are traded through a
market-priced, bid-based power exchange system, the New England Power Pool (NEPOOL)
Generation Information System. See http://www.nepoolgis.com
for more information.
Green Pricing
Renewable energy sold under green pricing programs is eligible
under the RPS.
Certification
The New England Generation Information System (NE-GIS), which
includes a generation information database and certificate
sytem, operated by the New England Power Pool, accounts for
Generation Attributes of electrical energy consumed within
New England, including Connecticut. NE-GIS Certificates produced
by the NE-GIS identify the relevant Generation Attributes
of each MWh accounted for in the NE-GIS.
Out-of-State
An electric supplier or electric distribution company may satisfy the requirements
of the RPS by purchasing Class I or Class II renewable energy sources within the
jurisdiction of the regional independent system operator, or within the jurisdiction
of New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, and Delaware, provided the DPUC
determines such states have a renewable portfolio standard that is comparable to
Connecticut.
Self-generation
Net metering is available to any residential customer generating power
from a Class I resource or hydropower. A residential customer who generates
electricity from a generating unit with a name plate capacity of more than
ten kilowatts shall be assessed for the competitive transition assessment
and the systems benefits charge, based on the amount of electricity consumed
by the customer from the facilities of the electric distribution company
without netting any electricity produced by the customer. A "residential
customer" is defined as a customer of a single-family dwelling or multifamily
dwelling consisting of two to four units.
Flexibility
The legislation does not provide credit banking from year to year, but does allow a
supplier or an electric distribution company may make up any deficiency within its
renewable energy portfolio within the first three months of the succeeding calendar
year (or as otherwise provided by generation information system operating rules
approved by New England Power Pool or its successor) to meet the generation source
requirements of the RPS for the previous year.
V. POLICY/PROGRAM ASSESSMENT
Reporting Requirement
Not later than October 1 of each year, electric suppliers shall submit to the DPUC
documentation demonstrating that the electric supplier complied with the renewable
portfolio standards in the previous twelve months. A condition of continuing licensure
is that an electric supplier provide any and all information requested by the DPUC for
the purpose of compiling quarterly disclosure reports.
Penalty for Non-Compliance
The DPUC shall require a payment by a licensee that fails to comply with the renewable
portfolio standards in the amount of five and one-half cents per kilowatt hour ($55/MWh).
This payment is from the wholesale supplier to the distribution company, which must then
transfer the payment to the Renewable Energy Investment Fund for the development of Class
I renewable energy sources.
Assessing Entity
Connecticut Department of Public Utility Control (DPUC)
Report Date
Ongoing
Report Name
The “Connecticut Department of Public Utility Control Guide to Electric Suppliers
and Aggregators” provides detailed information on renewable energy generation by company
http://www.dpuc.state.ct.us/EL_Aggre.nsf
To go directly to the power source comparison see “Residential and Commercial Consumer
Information--Compare Power Sources”
http://www.dpuc.state.ct.us/EL_Aggre.nsf/Compare%20Power%20Sources?OpenView
Status
The DPUC posts data from utility quarterly reports in their
eletric supplier licensing filing sytem, which allows consumers
to compare generation information under public choice mandates.
Annual filings in Excel format are available for each supplier.
From Janauary 1, 2001, to December 31, 2001, Connecticut retail
customers purchased 13,329 MWh of Class I and Class II renewables.
Cost Information
There is currently no specific benchmark cost for renewable energy. Docket [03-07-16] addresses Alternative Transitional Standard Offer Services for United Illuminating and CL&P Customers. The transitional standard offer will be in effect from January 1, 2004 through December 31, 2006.
http://www.dpuc.state.ct.us/dockcurr.nsf/Web&Main+View/Search+Electric?OpenView&StartKey=03-07-16
Assessment Contact
David Goldberg
Connecticut Department of Public Utility Control
Ten Franklin Square
New Britain, CT 06051
(860) 827-1553 (main office)
(860) 827-2886 (direct)
http://www.dpuc.state.ct.us/dpuc/
E-mail :
david.goldberg@po.state.ct.us
VI. PUBLIC OUTREACH AND EDUCATION
Connecticut Department of Public Utility Control
Electric Restructuring: Power Through Information
http://www.wattsnewct.com
The Environment, Renewable Energy, and Conservation
http://www.dpuc-electric-choice.com/consumers/environment.html
DPUC Press Releases
http://www.dpuc.state.ct.us/DPUCinfo.nsf/News+Releases
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