OLR Bill Analysis
AN ACT CONCERNING ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND CONSERVATION PROGRAMS.
This bill repeals the requirement that the Renewable Energy Investments Board, in consultation with the Energy Conservation Management Board (ECMB), evaluate, every five years, the performance of the programs and activities of the Clean Energy Fund and report on the evaluation to the Energy and Technology and Commerce committees. Under current law, the next report is due by December 31, 2011.
The bill establishes a statutory goal of reducing statewide per capita energy consumption by 10% in 2015 from 2006 levels by using efficiency and conservation measures. It requires the secretary of the Office of Policy and Management (OPM) to establish a program to reduce energy consumption in state-owned and –leased buildings by 10% by January 1, 2010. (The bill does not establish a baseline for this requirement. )
By law, the governor's recommended budget must include a supporting schedule of agency energy costs. The bill requires that, starting in FY 11, the supporting schedule be submitted to the Energy and Technology Committee.
The bill requires OPM and the Department of Public Works to re-establish, by July 1, 2010, a pilot program in which the state selects one or more state facilities to be covered by an energy performance contract with a private vendor. Under such contracts, the vendor pays for the capital cost of energy efficiency projects in return for receiving part of the energy savings. The agencies were required to establish a program before July 1, 2004, but failed to do so.
The bill makes municipal electric utility customers eligible to receive information from Department of Public Utility Control (DPUC) energy efficiency and outreach marketing campaign. It requires that a DPUC website on this program provide information for all electric customers statewide.
EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon passage
PERFORMANCE CONTRACTING PILOT PROGRAM
Under the bill, agencies that participate in the pilot program must report program results to the Appropriations and Energy and Technology committees. The reports must be submitted within three months after the effective date of the contract and annually thereafter. The final report is due within three months after the contract's termination.
BACKGROUND
Legislative History
On April 21, the House referred this bill (File 488) to the Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee, which reported a substitute that (1) deleted provisions that (a) established a division in DPUC to evaluate all state energy efficiency, conservation, and renewable energy programs and provided for the division's funding and (b) increased the maximum amount of money that can be transferred from petroleum gross earnings tax revenue to the Fuel Oil Conservation account from $ 5 million to $ 10 million; and (2) reinstated current law regarding ECMB's five-year review of conservation programs.
COMMITTEE ACTION
Program Review and Investigations Committee
Joint Favorable Substitute Change of Reference
Yea |
11 |
Nay |
0 |
(03/09/2009) |
Energy and Technology Committee
Joint Favorable
Yea |
21 |
Nay |
0 |
(03/19/2009) |
Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee
Joint Favorable Substitute
Yea |
46 |
Nay |
0 |
(04/27/2009) |