Draft Resolution (“DR”) E-5166 approves SJCE’s request to elect to administer its own Energy Efficiency (“EE”) Program. SJCE proposes to administer a Single-Family Residential Program and a Commercial + Schools Program with a combined budget of $5,066,776.20 over the course of three years. Funding for the two EE Programs will come from PG&E’s Energy Efficiency Portfolio Budget. A Commission vote on the DR is scheduled for September 9.
Under Public Utilities Code Section 381.1, CCAs are authorized to “apply” to administer cost-effective EE and conservation programs to both their customers and other utilities; customers. Sections 381.1(e) and (f) allow a CCA to “elect” to administer these programs to only their customers by filing an EE Program Administration Plan as a Tier 3 Advice Letter.
The Commission established the requirements for CCAs that elect to administer EE programs in D. 14-01-033. OP 7 asserts the materials submitted by a CCA who elects to administer EE programs must contain sufficient information for the CPUC to certify the CCA’s EE plan meets the six requirements in Section 381.1(f). OP 8 directs the CCAs to also conduct financial and management audits of its EE programs and provide a copy of the audits to the CPUC. Finally, D. 14-01-033 set the formula for the maximum funding that a CCA who elects to administer can request when establishing a budget:
CCA maximum funding = Total electricity energy efficiency non-bypassable charge collections from the CCA’s customers – (total electricity EE non-bypassable charge collections from the CCA’s customers * % of the applicable Investor Owned Utility (IOU) portfolio budget that was dedicated to statewide and regional programs in the most recently authorized program cycle).
In accordance with these requirements, SJCE submitted its EE Plan via Tier 3 AL 17-E on April 8, 2021. SJCE proposed two programs with a combined budget of $5,066,776.20 over three years to implement, market and evaluate their EE programs. The two programs are a Single-Family Residential Program and a Commercial + Schools Program.
SJCE’s Single-Family Residential Program will provide discounts and incentives to low to moderate-income SJCE residential customers in single-family homes for replacing older, less efficient appliances with new energy efficient electric appliances. The program will center its focus on serving two classes of customers:
The three-year budget request for the program is $760,016. SJCE expects that first-year gross energy savings for the program will be 80,824 kWh, with demand savings of 3.92kW.
SJCE’s Commercial + Schools Program will incentivize energy-efficient upgrades to heating, ventilation and air conditioning (“HVAC”); refrigeration; and hot water distribution systems for SJCE commercial customers in market segments including office, retail, food service, light commercial services, and schools. SJCE proposes a contractor-driven program delivery approach to provide cost-effective, high performing, and commonly installed measures that lower electric (and water heating-related gas) load and can be bundled by contractors for easy installation.
The three-year budget request for the Commercial + Schools Program is $4,306,760. SJCE expects that first-year gross energy savings for the program will be 4,958,935kWh, with demand savings of 724 kW.
