DE HB179 | 2013-2014 | 147th General Assembly
Status
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: Engrossed on June 13 2013 - 50% progression, died in chamber
Action: 2013-07-01 - Amendment SA 2 - Introduced and Placed With the Bill in Senate
Text: Latest bill text (Draft #1) [HTML]
Status: Engrossed on June 13 2013 - 50% progression, died in chamber
Action: 2013-07-01 - Amendment SA 2 - Introduced and Placed With the Bill in Senate
Text: Latest bill text (Draft #1) [HTML]
Summary
The Bill will reduce average customer energy bills and will create local jobs by driving investments in energy efficiency that displace more expensive energy supply purchases. Energy efficiency investments create in-state jobs, lower energy bills for Delaware consumers and businesses, prevent dollars from being sent across borders, encourage the development of skilled energy professionals and labor force in Delaware, stimulate innovation, and cause a reinvestment of Delaware dollars in Delaware. Efficiency investments lead to substantial environmental and health benefits from reduced air pollution, make homes healthier and more comfortable, increase grid reliability, decrease vulnerability to energy price spikes, increase energy security, and boost the economy. The Bill permits electricity providers to utilize a portion of electric energy efficiency savings toward achieving their renewable energy portfolio standard requirements upon achieving existing energy efficiency goals (15% by 2015). Reducing electricity consumption has the same positive attributes as renewable energy resources and through the process set forth in this Bill, will reduce overall customer bills. Adding another option for complying with Delaware’s renewable portfolio standards gives electric utilities greater flexibility in how they meet this renewable requirement while still providing the many positive benefits to Delaware citizens as previously defined in the statute. Additionally, the increased flexibility in complying with the renewable portfolio standards could also result in a lower cost to achieve those requirements. In response to the Energy Efficiency Resource Standards (EERS) Workgroup’s report, the Bill clarifies and simplifies the EERS Act. This Bill enables the achievement of the energy efficiency targets through the identification of all cost-effective, reliable, and feasible energy efficiency and coincident peak demand reduction programs that reduce average customer energy bills. The Bill also eliminates the authority to impose an energy efficiency surcharge. Energy efficiency is instead treated as an energy resource and is paid for in the same manner as other supply resources, with an assurance that only programs designed to reduce customer energy bills will be approved and implemented. The Bill would reduce energy costs while increasing reliability and energy security for the state. A final component of the Bill synchronizes the Integrated Resource Planning process for regulated utilities with the energy efficiency planning process.
Title
An Act To Amend Title 26 Of The Delaware Code Relating To Energy Efficiency Resource Standards And Renewable Energy Portfolio Standards.
Sponsors
Roll Calls
2013-06-13 - House - House Third Reading (Y: 38 N: 0 NV: 1 Abs: 2) [PASS]
History
| Date | Chamber | Action |
|---|---|---|
| 2013-07-01 | Senate | Amendment SA 2 - Introduced and Placed With the Bill in Senate |
| 2013-07-01 | Senate | Amendment SA 1 - Introduced and Placed With the Bill in Senate |
| 2013-06-18 | Senate | Assigned to Energy & Transit Committee in Senate |
| 2013-06-13 | House | Passed by House of Representatives. Votes: Passed 38 YES 0 NO 1 NOT VOTING 2 ABSENT 0 VACANT |
| 2013-06-12 | House | Reported Out of Committee (HOUSE ADMINISTRATION) in House with 5 On Its Merits |
| 2013-06-06 | House | Introduced and Assigned to House Administration Committee in House |
