WSR 16-13-133 PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE [Filed June 22, 2016, 7:50 a.m.]
Subject of Possible Rule Making: Sections relating to energy conservation in chapter 194-37 WAC, Energy Independence Act.
Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: The Energy Independence Act requires that electric utilities develop assessments of energy conservation potential using methodologies consistent with the Northwest Power Planning Council's regional power plan. The power council adopted a new power plan in 2016. Commerce is considering whether to update its rules to be consistent with the new power plan. Updating the rules would allow utilities to use the most up-to-date methodologies as they prepare their next assessments of conservation potential. Commerce is not considering rules that would prescribe utility-specific conservation measures, values, or assumptions.
Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: The utilities and transportation commission (UTC) regulates investor-owned utilities, including their compliance with the Energy Independence Act. Commerce will coordinate the rule making with the UTC through staff-to-staff communications prior to each step.
Process for Developing New Rule: Standard rule making.
Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication. Interested parties may submit written comments about the potential rule making until July 20, 2016. Send comments by e-mail to eia@commerce.wa.gov. Commerce will conduct an initial workshop; the date and location will be posted on the agency's web site, http://www.commerce.wa.gov/about-us/rulemaking. All rule-making documents and schedules will be posted on the agency web site. For questions or suggestions contact Glenn Blackmon, glenn.blackmon@commerce.wa.gov, (360) 725-3115.
June 21, 2016
Jaime Rossman
Rules Coordinator
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