WSR 21-12-026
PERMANENT RULES
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
[Filed May 24, 2021, 12:11 p.m., effective June 24, 2021]
Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing.
Purpose: The proposed rule establishes definitions for "energy assistance need" and "low-income" in WAC 194-40-030. The definitions affect requirements for electric utilities in RCW
19.405.120 and are proposed to ensure proper implementation of Clean Energy Transformation Act. These definitions do not limit any utility from designing a program that uses values below the defined threshold for energy assistance need and low-income to define eligible participants.
Citation of Rules Affected by this Order: Amending 1.
Adopted under notice filed as WSR 21-07-150 on March 24, 2021.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 1, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted at the Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's own Initiative: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Date Adopted: May 24, 2021.
Amber Siefer
Legislative and
Rules Coordinator
OTS-2972.1
AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 21-02-039, filed 12/29/20, effective 1/29/21)
WAC 194-40-030Definitions.
Unless specifically provided otherwise, the terms defined in RCW
19.405.020 have the same meaning in this chapter.
"100% Clean electricity standard" means the standard established in RCW
19.405.050(1) and any requirements necessary for compliance with that standard.
"BPA" means the Bonneville Power Administration.
"CEIP" means a clean energy implementation plan prepared in compliance with RCW
19.405.060.
"Energy assistance need" means the amount of assistance necessary to achieve an energy burden equal to six percent for utility customers.
"GHG neutral compliance period" means each of the periods identified in RCW
19.405.040 (1)(a).
"GHG neutral standard" means the standard established in RCW
19.405.040(1) and any requirements necessary for compliance with that standard.
"Indicator" means an attribute, either quantitative or qualitative, of a condition, resource, program or related distribution investment that is tracked for the purpose of evaluating change over time.
"Interim performance period" means either of the following periods:
(a) From January 1, 2022, until December 31, 2025; and
(b) From January 1, 2026, until December 31, 2029.
"Interim target" means a target established in compliance with RCW
19.405.060 (2)(a)(i). An interim target may cover an interim performance period or a GHG neutral compliance period.
"Low-income" means household incomes that do not exceed the higher of eighty percent of area median income or two hundred percent of federal poverty level, adjusted for household size.
"REC" means renewable energy credit.
"Retail revenue requirement" means that portion of a utility's annual budget approved by its governing body that is intended to be recovered through retail electricity sales in the state of Washington in the applicable year. It includes revenues from any retail rate or charge that is necessary to receive electric service from the utility and does not include the effect of taxes imposed directly on retail customers.
"Verification protocol" means a procedure or method used, consistent with industry standards, to establish with reasonable certainty that a conservation, energy efficiency, or demand response measure was installed and is in service. Industry standards include a range of appropriate protocols reflecting a balance of cost and accuracy, such as tracking installation of measures through incentive payments and the use of on-site inspection of measures installed as part of a customer-specific project.
"WREGIS" means the Western Renewable Energy Generation Information System.