PA 07-152—sHB 6209

Energy and Technology Committee

Government Administration and Elections Committee

Commerce Committee

Legislative Management Committee

Appropriations Committee

Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee

Environment Committee

AN ACT CONCERNING THE RENEWABLE ENERGY INVESTMENT FUND

SUMMARY: This act creates the Renewable Energy Investments Board within Connecticut Innovations, Inc. (CII) for administrative purposes only and allows CII to spend money in the Clean Energy Fund only as authorized by the board. It specifies the board's membership and establishes its responsibilities. It eliminates the advisory committee that previously assisted CII in developing a comprehensive plan, among other things.

By law, the Energy Conservation Management Board (ECMB) helps the electric companies develop a plan to implement cost-effective conservation programs, which is subject to Department of Public Utility Control (DPUC) approval. The act requires DPUC to approve, modify, or reject the plan in an uncontested proceeding. It allows DPUC to hold a public hearing as part of this proceeding.

EFFECTIVE DATE: October 1, 2007, except that the provision explicitly allowing CII to administer the fund in accordance with the act is effective upon passage.

RENEWABLE ENERGY INVESTMENTS BOARD

Membership

Under the act, the Renewable Energy Investments Board has 15 members. The board consists of the Consumer Counsel and the heads of the following agencies, or their designees: the Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, the Office of Policy and Management, and the Department of Environmental Protection. The board also has 11 appointed members, as described in Table 1. The membership of the new board is similar to that of the prior advisory committee.

Table 1: Appointed Members of the Renewable Energy Investments Board

Every two years, the board must elect a chairperson and vice-chairperson. It must adopt necessary bylaws and procedures and can establish committees and subcommittees to carry out its business.

Responsibilities

Under prior law, CII was responsible for administering the Clean Energy Fund. The act allows CII to spend money from the fund only upon the authorization of the Renewable Energy Investments Board and places the fund within CII for administrative purposes only. The act explicitly authorizes CII to administer the fund as provided for in the act. It allows the fund to (1) reimburse the services of the fund administrator, including a management fee and (2) be used to develop and carry out the renewable energy plan described below.

Under prior law, the chairperson of CII's board of directors appointed an advisory committee to help CII regarding the Clean Energy Fund, including the development of a comprehensive plan and expenditure of money in the fund. The act instead requires the board to act on matters related to the fund, including plan development and expenditure of funds. It requires the board to make a draft of the plan available for public comment for at least 30 days. It requires the board to hold three hearings on the draft plan in different parts of the state. The board must summarize the comments it receives in the final plan approved by the board. It must provide a copy of the plan to the Energy and Technology and Commerce committees. The board must submit the plan to DPUC, which must approve, modify, or reject the plan in an uncontested proceeding. DPUC can hold a public hearing as part of this proceeding.

The board must annually submit a report to DPUC reviewing the activities of the Clean Energy Fund and provide a copy of the report to the Energy and Technology and Commerce committees and to the Office of Consumer Counsel. The report must describe the programs and activities undertaken jointly or in collaboration with the electric companies' conservation funds during the reporting period.

Under prior law, the advisory committee was required to evaluate the performance of the fund by December 31, 2011 and every five years thereafter and submit the report to the Energy and Technology Committee. The act transfers this responsibility to the board and requires that the report go to the Commerce Committee as well.

Under prior law, there was a joint committee of the advisory committee and ECMB. The act instead requires that there be a joint committee of ECMB and the Renewable Energy Investments Board. By law, the joint committee is required to coordinate conservation and renewable energy programs and activities.

Under prior law, ECMB had to consult with the advisory committee in evaluating the performance of the electric companies' conservation funds. The act instead requires ECMB to consult with the Renewable Energy Investments Board.

OLR Tracking: KM: DD: CR: dw