§ 35-A §10111 — Natural gas conservation program

1.
Program established.
In accordance with the goals and objectives of the triennial plan, the trust shall establish a cost-effective conservation program to promote the efficient use of natural gas. Each gas utility in the State shall contribute data and other relevant information to assist in the development of the program. In determining whether the program is cost-effective, the trust may consider whether it promotes sustainable economic development or reduces greenhouse gas emissions to the extent the trust can quantify or otherwise reasonably identify such effects. The trust shall encourage efficiency in natural gas use, provide incentives for cost-effective energy efficiency measures in the State and take into account the cost and benefits of energy efficiency and conservation to existing business activity in the State.
2.
Natural gas conservation fund; procurement level.
The natural gas conservation fund, which is a nonlapsing fund, is established to carry out the purposes of this section. The commission ensure that gas utilities on behalf of their ratepayers procure through the trust the maximum achievable cost-effective natural gas energy efficiency and conservation resources pursuant to section 10104, subsection 4. The commission may issue any appropriate order to the gas utilities necessary to achieve the goals of this subsection, including the collection of funds for the procurement of cost-effective energy efficiency resources. The commission shall direct a gas utility that collects any funds under this subsection from a customer that is a large-volume manufacturer and large-volume agricultural business to collect the funds only on the first 1,000,000 centum cubic feet of natural gas used by that manufacturer or agricultural business in each year. The limitation on the collection of the funds from large-volume manufacturers and large-volume agricultural businesses may not affect the trust's determination of the amount necessary to capture all cost-effective energy efficiency that is achievable and reliable. The limitation does not prohibit the eligibility of a large-volume manufacturer or large-volume agricultural business to participate in a natural gas conservation program. All amounts collected under this subsection must be transferred to the natural gas conservation fund. Any interest on funds in the fund must be credited to the fund. Funds not spent in any fiscal year remain in the fund to be used for the purposes of this section.
2-A.
Exemption.
A wholesale electricity-generating facility that has a nameplate capacity of 3 megawatts or greater is not eligible to participate in any natural gas conservation program under this section. The commission may not allow a gas utility to collect an assessment under this section through its rates from a wholesale electricity-generating facility that has a nameplate capacity of 3 megawatts or greater.
3.
Rules.
The trust may adopt rules necessary to implement this section. Rules adopted by the trust under this subsection are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2‑A.
4.
Effective date.
This section takes effect July 1, 2010.

Legislative History

PL 2009, c. 372, Pt. B, §3 (NEW). PL 2011, c. 637, §7 (AMD). PL 2013, c. 369, Pt. A, §25 (AMD). PL 2015, c. 425, §§1, 2 (AMD). PL 2017, c. 282, §3 (AMD). PL 2017, c. 358, §1 (AMD). PL 2019, c. 313, §§9, 10 (AMD).