SENATE BILL No. 438

 

 

July 1, 2015, Introduced by Senator PROOS and referred to the Committee on Energy and Technology.

 

 

 

     A bill to amend 2008 PA 295, entitled

 

"Clean, renewable, and efficient energy act,"

 

by amending the title, the headings of subparts B and C of part 2

 

and part 5, and sections 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 41, 47, 71, 73, 75,

 

77, 81, 83, 85, 87, 89, 91, 93, 95, 97, 113, 173, 175, 177, and 179

 

(MCL 460.1001, 460.1003, 460.1005, 460.1007, 460.1009, 460.1011,

 

460.1013, 460.1041, 460.1047, 460.1071, 460.1073, 460.1075,

 

460.1077, 460.1081, 460.1083, 460.1085, 460.1087, 460.1089,

 

460.1091, 460.1093, 460.1095, 460.1097, 460.1113, 460.1173,

 

460.1175, 460.1177, and 460.1179), section 93 as amended by 2010 PA

 

269, and by adding subpart B to part 2, sections 72, 74, 77a, 78,

 

89a, 91a, 98, and 99, and part 7; and to repeal acts and parts of

 

acts.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

TITLE


     An act to require certain providers of electric service to

 

establish renewable clean energy programs; to require certain

 

providers of electric or natural gas service to establish energy

 

optimization waste reduction programs; to authorize the use of

 

certain energy systems to meet the requirements of those programs;

 

to provide for the approval of energy optimization waste reduction

 

service companies; to provide for certain charges on electric and

 

natural gas bills; to promote energy conservation to reduce energy

 

waste by state agencies and the public; to create a wind energy

 

resource zone board and provide for its power and duties; to

 

authorize the creation and implementation of wind energy resource

 

zones; to provide for expedited transmission line siting

 

certificates; to provide for a customer generation and net metering

 

program programs and the responsibilities of certain providers of

 

electric service and customers with respect to customer generation

 

and net metering; to provide for fees; to prescribe the powers and

 

duties of certain state agencies and officials; to require the

 

promulgation of rules and the issuance of orders; to authorize the

 

establishment of residential energy improvement programs by

 

providers of electric or natural gas service; and to provide for

 

civil sanctions, remedies, and penalties.

 

     Sec. 1. (1) This act shall be known and may be cited as the

 

"clean , renewable, and efficient energy act".

 

     (2) The purpose of this act is to promote the development of

 

clean energy, renewable energy, and energy optimization through the

 

implementation of a clean, renewable, and energy efficient standard

 

and use of clean energy resources and the reduction of energy waste

 


through programs that will cost-effectively do all of the

 

following:

 

     (a) Diversify the resources used to reliably meet the energy

 

needs of consumers in this state.

 

     (b) Provide greater energy security through the use of

 

indigenous energy resources available within the state.

 

     (c) Encourage private investment in renewable clean energy and

 

energy efficiency.waste reduction.

 

     (d) Provide Coordinate with federal regulations to provide

 

improved air quality and other benefits to energy consumers and

 

citizens of this state.

 

     Sec. 3. As used in this act:

 

     (a) "Advanced cleaner energy" means electricity generated

 

using an advanced cleaner energy system.

 

     (b) "Advanced cleaner energy credit" means a credit certified

 

under section 43 that represents generated advanced cleaner energy.

 

     (b) (c) "Advanced cleaner energy system" means any of the

 

following:

 

     (i) A gasification facility.

 

     (ii) An industrial A cogeneration facility.

 

     (iii) A coal-fired electric generating facility if 85% or more

 

of the carbon dioxide emissions are captured and permanently

 

geologically sequestered or used for other commercial or industrial

 

purposes that do not result in release of carbon dioxide to the

 

atmosphere.

 

     (iv) A hydroelectric pumped storage facility.

 

     (v) (iv) An electric generating facility or system that uses

 


technologies not in commercial operation on the effective date of

 

this act.October 6, 2008, and that the commission determines has

 

carbon dioxide emissions benefits or will significantly reduce

 

other regulated air emissions.

 

     (c) (d) "Affiliated transmission company" means that term as

 

defined in section 2 of the electric transmission line

 

certification act, 1995 PA 30, MCL 460.562.

 

     (d) (e) "Applicable regional transmission organization" means

 

a nonprofit, member-based organization governed by an independent

 

board of directors that serves as the federal energy regulatory

 

commission-approved regional transmission organization approved by

 

the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission with oversight

 

responsibility for the region that includes the provider's service

 

territory.

 

     (e) (f) "Biomass" means any organic matter that is not derived

 

from fossil fuels, that can be converted to usable fuel for the

 

production of energy, and that replenishes over a human, not a

 

geological, time frame, including, but not limited to, all of the

 

following:

 

     (i) Agricultural crops and crop wastes.

 

     (ii) Short-rotation energy crops.

 

     (iii) Herbaceous plants.

 

     (iv) Trees and wood, but only if derived from sustainably

 

managed forests or procurement systems, as defined in section 261c

 

of the management and budget act, 1984 PA 431, MCL 18.1261c.

 

     (v) Paper and pulp products.

 

     (vi) Precommercial wood thinning waste, brush, or yard waste.

 


     (vii) Wood wastes and residues from the processing of wood

 

products or paper.

 

     (viii) Animal wastes.

 

     (ix) Wastewater sludge or sewage.

 

     (x) Aquatic plants.

 

     (xi) Food production and processing waste.

 

     (xii) Organic by-products from the production of biofuels.

 

     (f) (g) "Board" means the wind energy resource zone board

 

created under section 143.

 

     (h) "Carbon dioxide emissions benefits" means that the carbon

 

dioxide emissions per megawatt hour of electricity generated by the

 

advanced cleaner energy system are at least 85% less or, for an

 

integrated gasification combined cycle facility, 70% less than the

 

average carbon dioxide emissions per megawatt hour of electricity

 

generated from all coal-fired electric generating facilities

 

operating in this state on January 1, 2008.

 

     (g) "Clean energy" means electricity generated using a clean

 

energy resource.

 

     (h) "Clean energy resource" means an electric generation

 

technology that meets all current state and federal air emissions

 

regulations or qualifies under United States Environmental

 

Protection Agency regulations as being carbon neutral. Clean energy

 

resource includes, but is not limited to, a fossil fuel generation

 

technology in which at least 85% of the carbon dioxide emissions

 

are captured and permanently sequestered or used for other

 

commercial or industrial purposes that do not result in the release

 

of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

 


     (i) "Clean energy system" means a facility, electricity

 

generation system, or set of electricity generation systems that

 

use 1 or more clean energy resources to generate electricity.

 

     (j) "Cogeneration facility" means a facility that produces

 

both electricity and another form of useful thermal energy, such as

 

heat or steam, in a way that is more efficient than the separate

 

production of those forms of energy.

 

     (k) (i) "Commission" means the Michigan public service

 

commission.

 

     (l) (j) "Customer meter" means an electric meter of a

 

provider's retail customer. Customer meter does not include a

 

municipal water pumping meter or additional meters at a single site

 

that were installed specifically to support interruptible air

 

conditioning, interruptible water heating, net metering, or time-

 

of-day tariffs.

 

     (m) "Distributed generation program" means the program

 

established by the commission under section 173.

 

     Sec. 5. As used in this act:

 

     (a) "Electric provider", subject to sections 21(1), 23(1), and

 

25(1), except as used in part 7, means any of the following:

 

     (i) Any person or entity that is regulated by the commission

 

for the purpose of selling electricity to retail customers in this

 

state.

 

     (ii) A municipally-owned electric utility in this state.

 

     (iii) A cooperative electric utility in this state.

 

     (iv) Except as used in subpart B C of part 2, an alternative

 

electric supplier licensed under section 10a of 1939 PA 3, MCL

 


460.10a.

 

     (b) "Eligible electric generator" means that a methane

 

digester or renewable clean energy system with a generation

 

capacity limited to the customer's electric need and that does not

 

exceed the following:

 

     (i) For a renewable clean energy system, 150 kilowatts of

 

aggregate generation at a single site.

 

     (ii) For a methane digester, 550 kilowatts of aggregate

 

generation at a single site.

 

     (c) "Energy conservation" means the reduction of customer

 

energy use through the installation of measures or changes in

 

energy usage behavior. Energy conservation does not include the use

 

of advanced cleaner energy systems.

 

     (d) "Energy efficiency" means a decrease in customer

 

consumption of electricity or natural gas achieved through measures

 

or programs including prepay energy programs that target customer

 

behavior, equipment, devices, or materials without reducing the

 

quality of energy services.

 

     (e) "Energy star" means the voluntary partnership among the

 

United States Department of Energy, the United States Environmental

 

Protection Agency, product manufacturers, local utilities, and

 

retailers to help promote energy efficient products by labeling

 

with the energy star logo, educate consumers about the benefits of

 

energy efficiency, and help promote energy efficiency in buildings

 

by benchmarking and rating energy performance.

 

     (f) (e) "Energy optimization", waste reduction", subject to

 

subdivision (f), (g), means all of the following:

 


     (i) Energy efficiency.

 

     (ii) Load management, to the extent that the load management

 

reduces overall energy usage.

 

     (iii) Energy conservation, but only to the extent that the

 

decreases in the consumption of electricity produced by energy

 

conservation are objectively measurable and attributable to an

 

energy optimization waste reduction plan.

 

     (g) (f) Energy optimization waste reduction does not include

 

electric provider infrastructure projects that are approved for

 

cost recovery by the commission other than as provided in this act.

 

     (h) (g) "Energy optimization waste reduction credit" means a

 

credit certified pursuant to section 87 that represents achieved

 

energy optimization.waste reduction.

 

     (i) (h) "Energy optimization waste reduction plan" or "EO

 

plan" means a plan under section 71 or 72, as applicable.

 

     (j) (i) "Energy optimization waste reduction standard" means

 

the minimum energy savings required to be achieved under section 77

 

or 77a, as applicable.

 

     (j) "Energy star" means the voluntary partnership among the

 

United States department of energy, the United States environmental

 

protection agency, product manufacturers, local utilities, and

 

retailers to help promote energy efficient products by labeling

 

with the energy star logo, educate consumers about the benefits of

 

energy efficiency, and help promote energy efficiency in buildings

 

by benchmarking and rating energy performance.

 

     (k) "Federal approval" means approval by the applicable

 

regional transmission organization or other federal energy

 


regulatory commission approved transmission planning process of a

 

transmission project that includes the transmission line. Federal

 

approval may be evidenced in any of the following manners:

 

     (i) The proposed transmission line is part of a transmission

 

project included in the applicable regional transmission

 

organization's board-approved transmission expansion plan.

 

     (ii) The applicable regional transmission organization has

 

informed the electric utility, affiliated transmission company, or

 

independent transmission company that a transmission project

 

submitted for an out-of-cycle project review has been approved by

 

the applicable regional transmission organization, and the approved

 

transmission project includes the proposed transmission line.

 

     (iii) If, after the effective date of this act, October 6,

 

2008, the applicable regional transmission organization utilizes

 

another approval process for transmission projects proposed by an

 

electric utility, affiliated transmission company, or independent

 

transmission company, the proposed transmission line is included in

 

a transmission project approved by the applicable regional

 

transmission organization through the approval process developed

 

after the effective date of this act.October 6, 2008.

 

     (iv) Any other federal energy regulatory commission approved

 

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission-approved transmission planning

 

process for a transmission project.

 

     Sec. 7. As used in this act:

 

     (a) "Gasification facility" means a facility located in this

 

state that, uses using a thermochemical process that does not

 

involve direct combustion, to produce produces synthesis gas,

 


composed of carbon monoxide and hydrogen, from carbon-based

 

feedstocks (such as coal, petroleum coke, wood, biomass, hazardous

 

waste, medical waste, industrial waste, and solid waste, including,

 

but not limited to, municipal solid waste, electronic waste, and

 

waste described in section 11514 of the natural resources and

 

environmental protection act, 1994 PA 451, MCL 324.11514) and that

 

uses the synthesis gas or a mixture of the synthesis gas and

 

methane to generate electricity for commercial use. Gasification

 

facility includes the transmission lines, gas transportation lines

 

and facilities, and associated property and equipment specifically

 

attributable to such a facility. Gasification facility includes,

 

but is not limited to, an integrated gasification combined cycle

 

facility and a plasma arc gasification facility.

 

     (b) "Incremental costs of compliance" means the net revenue

 

required by an electric provider to comply, before the effective

 

date of the 2015 amendatory act that amended this section, with the

 

former renewable energy standard, calculated as provided under

 

section 47.

 

     (c) "Independent transmission company" means that term as

 

defined in section 2 of the electric transmission line

 

certification act, 1995 PA 30, MCL 460.562.

 

     (d) "Industrial cogeneration facility" means a facility that

 

generates electricity using industrial thermal energy or industrial

 

waste energy.

 

     (e) "Industrial thermal energy" means thermal energy that is a

 

by-product of an industrial or manufacturing process and that would

 

otherwise be wasted. For the purposes of this subdivision,

 


industrial or manufacturing process does not include the generation

 

of electricity.

 

     (f) "Industrial waste energy" means exhaust gas or flue gas

 

that is a by-product of an industrial or manufacturing process and

 

that would otherwise be wasted. For the purposes of this

 

subdivision, industrial or manufacturing process does not include

 

the generation of electricity.

 

     (d) "Inflow" means the number of metered kilowatt hours that a

 

customer participating in the distributed generation program

 

receives from an electric utility during a billing period.

 

     (e) (g) "Integrated gasification combined cycle facility"

 

means a gasification facility that uses a thermochemical process,

 

including high temperatures and controlled amounts of air and

 

oxygen, to break substances down into their molecular structures

 

and that uses exhaust heat to generate electricity.

 

     (f) (h) "LEED" means the leadership in energy and

 

environmental design green building rating system developed by the

 

United States green building council.Green Building Council.

 

     (g) (i) "Load management" means measures or programs that

 

target equipment or devices to result in decreased peak electricity

 

demand such as by shifting demand from a peak to an off-peak

 

period.

 

     (j) "Modified net metering" means a utility billing method

 

that applies the power supply component of the full retail rate to

 

the net of the bidirectional flow of kilowatt hours across the

 

customer interconnection with the utility distribution system,

 

during a billing period or time-of-use pricing period. A negative

 


net metered quantity during the billing period or during each time-

 

of-use pricing period within the billing period reflects net excess

 

generation for which the customer is entitled to receive credit

 

under section 177(4). Standby charges for modified net metering

 

customers on an energy rate schedule shall be equal to the retail

 

distribution charge applied to the imputed customer usage during

 

the billing period. The imputed customer usage is calculated as the

 

sum of the metered on-site generation and the net of the

 

bidirectional flow of power across the customer interconnection

 

during the billing period. The commission shall establish standby

 

charges for modified net metering customers on demand-based rate

 

schedules that provide an equivalent contribution to utility system

 

costs.

 

     Sec. 9. As used in this act:

 

     (a) "Natural gas provider" means an investor-owned business

 

engaged in the sale and distribution at retail of natural gas

 

within this state whose rates are regulated by the commission.

 

However, as used in subpart B of part 2, natural gas provider does

 

not include an alternative gas supplier licensed under section 9b

 

of 1939 PA 3, MCL 460.9b.

 

     (b) "Net metering" means an electric utility billing method

 

that applies to customers with an on-site clean energy system that

 

is interconnected with the utility's distribution system and that

 

is enrolled in an electric utility's net metering program.

 

     (c) "Outflow" means the number of metered kilowatt hours

 

delivered into the electric utility's distribution system from

 

customers participating in the distributed generation program

 


during a billing period.

 

     (d) (b) "Plasma arc gasification facility" means a

 

gasification facility that uses a plasma torch to break substances

 

down into their molecular structures.

 

     (e) (c) "Provider" means an electric provider or a natural gas

 

provider.

 

     (f) (d) "PURPA" means the public utility regulatory policies

 

act of 1978, Public Law 95-617.

 

     (g) (e) "Qualifying small power production facility" means

 

that term as defined in 16 USC 824a-3.

 

     Sec. 11. As used in this act:

 

     (a) "Renewable energy" means electricity generated using a

 

renewable energy system.

 

     (b) "Renewable energy capacity portfolio" means the number of

 

megawatts calculated under former section 27(2) for a particular

 

year.

 

     (c) "Renewable energy contract" means a contract to acquire

 

renewable energy and the associated renewable energy credits from 1

 

or more renewable energy systems.

 

     (d) "Renewable energy credit" means a credit granted pursuant

 

to under a certification and tracking program established under

 

section 41, that which represents generated renewable energy.

 

     (e) "Renewable energy credit portfolio" means the sum of the

 

renewable energy credits achieved by a provider for a particular

 

year.

 

     (f) "Renewable energy credit standard" means a minimum

 

renewable energy portfolio required under section 27.

 


     (g) "Renewable energy generator" means a person that, together

 

with its affiliates, has constructed or has owned and operated 1 or

 

more renewable energy systems with combined gross generating

 

capacity of at least 10 megawatts.

 

     (f) (h) "Renewable energy plan" or "plan" , means a plan

 

approved under former section 21 or former section 23 or found to

 

comply with this act under former section 25, with any amendments

 

adopted under this act.

 

     (g) (i) "Renewable energy resource" means a resource that

 

naturally replenishes over a human, not a geological, time frame

 

and that is ultimately derived from solar power, water power, or

 

wind power. Renewable energy resource does not include petroleum,

 

nuclear, natural gas, or coal. A renewable energy resource comes

 

from the sun or from thermal inertia of the earth and minimizes the

 

output of toxic material in the conversion of the energy and

 

includes, but is not limited to, all of the following:

 

     (i) Biomass.

 

     (ii) Solar and solar thermal energy.

 

     (iii) Wind energy.

 

     (iv) Kinetic energy of moving water, including all of the

 

following:

 

     (A) Waves, tides, or currents.

 

     (B) Water released through a dam.

 

     (v) Geothermal energy.

 

     (vi) Municipal solid waste.

 

     (vii) Landfill gas produced by municipal solid waste.

 

     (h) (j) "Renewable energy standard" means the minimum

 


renewable energy capacity portfolio, if applicable, and the

 

renewable energy credit portfolio that was required to be achieved

 

under former section 27.

 

     (i) (k) "Renewable energy system" means a facility,

 

electricity generation system, or set of electricity generation

 

systems that use 1 or more renewable energy resources to generate

 

electricity. Renewable energy system does not include any of the

 

following:

 

     (i) A hydroelectric pumped storage facility.

 

     (ii) A hydroelectric facility that uses a dam constructed

 

after the effective date of this act unless the dam is a repair or

 

replacement of a dam in existence on the effective date of this act

 

or an upgrade of a dam in existence on the effective date of this

 

act that increases its energy efficiency.

 

     (iii) An an incinerator unless the incinerator is a municipal

 

solid waste incinerator as defined in section 11504 of the natural

 

resources and environmental protection act, 1994 PA 451, MCL

 

324.11504, that was brought into service before the effective date

 

of this act, October 6, 2008, including any of the following:

 

     (i) (A) Any upgrade of such an incinerator that increases

 

energy efficiency.

 

     (ii) (B) Any expansion of such an incinerator before the

 

effective date of this act.October 6, 2008.

 

     (iii) (C) Any expansion of such an incinerator on or after the

 

effective date of this act October 6, 2008 to an approximate design

 

rated capacity of not more than 950 tons per day pursuant to the

 

terms of a final request for proposals issued on or before October

 


1, 1986.

 

     (j) (l) "Revenue recovery mechanism" means the mechanism for

 

recovery of incremental costs of compliance established under

 

former section 21.

 

     Sec. 13. As used in this act:

 

     (a) "Site" means a contiguous site, regardless of the number

 

of meters at that site. A site that would be contiguous but for the

 

presence of a street, road, or highway shall be is considered to be

 

contiguous for the purposes of this subdivision.

 

     (b) "Transmission line" means all structures, equipment, and

 

real property necessary to transfer electricity at system bulk

 

supply voltage of 100 kilovolts or more.

 

     (c) "True net metering" means a utility billing method that

 

applies the full retail rate to the net of the bidirectional flow

 

of kilowatt hours across the customer interconnection with the

 

utility distribution system, during a billing period or time-of-use

 

pricing period. A negative net metered quantity during the billing

 

period or during each time-of-use pricing period within the billing

 

period reflects net excess generation for which the customer is

 

entitled to receive credit under section 177(4).

 

     (c) (d) "Utility system resource cost test" means a standard

 

that is met for an investment in energy optimization waste

 

reduction if, on a life cycle basis, the total avoided supply-side

 

costs to the provider, including representative values for

 

electricity or natural gas supply, transmission, distribution, and

 

other associated costs or, before January 1, 2019, electricity

 

supply, transmission, distribution, and other associated costs, are

 


greater than the total costs to the provider of administering and

 

delivering the energy optimization waste reduction program,

 

including net costs for any provider incentives paid by customers

 

and capitalized costs recovered under section 89.

 

     (d) (e) "Wind energy conversion system" means a renewable

 

energy system that uses 1 or more wind turbines to generate

 

electricity and has a nameplate capacity of 100 kilowatts or more.

 

     (e) (f) "Wind energy resource zone" or "wind zone" means an

 

area designated by the commission under section 147.

 

     Sec. 41. (1) Renewable energy credits may be traded, sold, or

 

otherwise transferred.

 

     (2) An electric provider is responsible for demonstrating that

 

a renewable energy credit used to comply with a renewable energy

 

credit standard is derived from a renewable energy source and that

 

the electric provider has not previously used or traded, sold, or

 

otherwise transferred the renewable energy credit.

 

     (3) The same renewable energy credit may be used by an

 

electric provider to comply with both a federal standard for

 

renewable energy and the renewable energy standard under this

 

subpart. An electric provider that uses a renewable energy credit

 

to comply with another state's standard for renewable energy shall

 

not use the same renewable energy credit to comply with the

 

renewable energy credit standard under this subpart.

 

     (2) (4) The commission shall establish a renewable energy

 

credit certification and tracking program. The certification and

 

tracking program may be contracted to and performed by a third

 

party through a system of competitive bidding. The program shall

 


include all of the following:

 

     (a) A process to certify renewable energy systems, including

 

all existing renewable energy systems operating on the effective

 

date of this act, October 6, 2008 as eligible to receive renewable

 

energy credits.

 

     (b) A process for verifying that the operator of a renewable

 

energy system is in compliance with state and federal law

 

applicable to the operation of the renewable energy system when

 

certification is granted. If a renewable energy system becomes

 

noncompliant with state or federal law, renewable energy credits

 

shall not be granted for renewable energy generated by that

 

renewable energy system during the period of noncompliance.

 

     (c) A method for determining the date on which a renewable

 

energy credit is generated and valid for transfer.

 

     (d) A method for transferring renewable energy credits.

 

     (e) A method for ensuring that each renewable energy credit

 

transferred under this act is properly accounted for under this

 

act.

 

     (f) If the system is established by the commission, allowance

 

for issuance, transfer, and use of renewable energy credits in

 

electronic form.

 

     (g) A method for ensuring that both a renewable energy credit

 

and an advanced cleaner energy credit are not awarded for the same

 

megawatt hour of energy.

 

     (5) A renewable energy credit purchased from a renewable

 

energy system in this state is not required to be used in this

 

state.

 


     Sec. 47. (1) Subject to the retail rate impact limits under

 

section 45, the For an electric provider whose rates are regulated

 

by the commission, the commission shall determine the appropriate

 

charges, which shall be included in the electric provider's

 

tariffs, to permit recovery of the incremental cost of compliance.

 

The commission shall consider all actual costs reasonably and

 

prudently incurred in good faith to implement a commission-approved

 

renewable energy plan by an electric provider whose rates are

 

regulated by the commission to be a cost of service to be recovered

 

by the electric provider. Subject to the retail rate impact limits

 

under section 45, an An electric provider whose rates are regulated

 

by the commission shall recover through its retail electric rates

 

all of the electric provider's incremental costs of compliance

 

during the 20-year period beginning when the electric provider's

 

plan is approved by the commission and all reasonable and prudent

 

ongoing costs of compliance during and after that period. The

 

recovery shall include, but is not limited to, the both of the

 

following:

 

     (a) The electric provider's authorized rate of return on

 

equity for costs approved under this section, which shall remain

 

fixed at the rate of return and debt to equity ratio that was in

 

effect in the electric provider's base rates when the electric

 

provider's renewable energy plan was approved.

 

     (b) Costs associated with a facility approved for cost

 

recovery before the effective date of the 2015 amendatory act that

 

amended this section.

 

     (2) Incremental costs of compliance shall be calculated as

 


follows:

 

     (a) Determine the sum of the following costs to the extent

 

those costs are reasonable and prudent and not already approved for

 

recovery in electric rates as of the effective date of this

 

act:October 6, 2008:

 

     (i) Capital, operating, and maintenance costs of renewable

 

energy systems or advanced cleaner energy systems, including

 

property taxes, insurance, and return on equity associated with an

 

electric provider's renewable energy systems or advanced cleaner

 

energy systems, including the electric provider's renewable energy

 

portfolio established to achieve compliance with the renewable

 

energy standards and any additional renewable energy systems or

 

advanced cleaner energy systems, that are built or acquired by the

 

electric provider to maintain compliance with the renewable energy

 

standards during the 20-year period beginning when the electric

 

provider's plan is approved by the commission.

 

     (ii) Financing costs attributable to capital, operating, and

 

maintenance costs of capital facilities associated with renewable

 

energy systems or advanced cleaner energy systems used to meet the

 

renewable energy standard.

 

     (iii) Costs that are not otherwise recoverable in rates

 

approved by the federal energy regulatory commission Federal Energy

 

Regulatory Commission and that are related to the infrastructure

 

required to bring renewable energy systems or advanced cleaner

 

energy systems used to achieve compliance with the renewable energy

 

standards on to the transmission system, including interconnection

 

and substation costs for renewable energy systems or advanced

 


cleaner energy systems used to meet the renewable energy standard.

 

     (iv) Ancillary service costs determined by the commission to

 

be necessarily incurred to ensure the quality and reliability of

 

renewable energy or advanced cleaner energy used to meet the

 

renewable energy standards, regardless of the ownership of a

 

renewable energy system or advanced cleaner energy

 

technology.system.

 

     (v) Except to the extent the costs are allocated under a

 

different subparagraph, all of the following:

 

     (A) The costs of renewable energy credits purchased under this

 

act.

 

     (B) The costs of contracts described in former section 33(1).

 

     (vi) Expenses incurred as a result of state or federal

 

governmental actions related to renewable energy systems or

 

advanced cleaner energy systems attributable to the renewable

 

energy standards, including changes in tax or other law.

 

     (vii) Any additional electric provider costs determined by the

 

commission to be necessarily incurred to ensure the quality and

 

reliability of renewable energy or advanced cleaner energy used to

 

meet the renewable energy standards.

 

     (b) Subtract from the sum of costs not already included in

 

electric rates determined under subdivision (a) the sum of the

 

following revenues:

 

     (i) Revenue derived from the sale of environmental attributes

 

associated with the generation of renewable energy or advanced

 

cleaner energy systems attributable to the renewable energy

 

standards. Such revenue shall not be considered in determining

 


power supply cost recovery factors under section 6j of 1939 PA 3,

 

MCL 460.6j.

 

     (ii) Interest on regulatory liabilities.

 

     (iii) Tax credits specifically designed to promote renewable

 

energy or advanced cleaner energy.

 

     (iv) Revenue derived from the provision of renewable energy or

 

advanced cleaner energy to retail electric customers subject to a

 

power supply cost recovery clause under section 6j of 1939 PA 3,

 

MCL 460.6j, of an electric provider whose rates are regulated by

 

the commission. After providing an opportunity for a contested case

 

hearing for an electric provider whose rates are regulated by the

 

commission, the commission shall annually establish a price per

 

megawatt hour. In addition, an electric provider whose rates are

 

regulated by the commission may at any time petition the commission

 

to revise the price. In setting the price per megawatt hour under

 

this subparagraph, the commission shall consider factors including,

 

but not limited to, projected capacity, energy, maintenance, and

 

operating costs; information filed under section 6j of 1939 PA 3,

 

MCL 460.6j; and information from wholesale markets, including, but

 

not limited to, locational marginal pricing. This price shall be

 

multiplied by the sum of the number of megawatt hours of renewable

 

energy and the number of megawatt hours of advanced cleaner energy

 

used to maintain compliance with the renewable energy standard. The

 

product shall be considered a booked cost of purchased and net

 

interchanged power transactions under section 6j of 1939 PA 3, MCL

 

460.6j. For energy purchased by such an electric provider under a

 

renewable energy contract or advanced cleaner energy contract, the

 


price shall be the lower of the amount established by the

 

commission or the actual price paid and shall be multiplied by the

 

number of megawatt hours of renewable energy or advanced cleaner

 

energy purchased. The resulting value shall be considered a booked

 

cost of purchased and net interchanged power under section 6j of

 

1939 PA 3, MCL 460.6j.

 

     (v) Revenue from wholesale renewable energy sales and advanced

 

cleaner energy sales. Such revenue shall not be considered in

 

determining power supply cost recovery factors under section 6j of

 

1939 PA 3, MCL 460.6j.

 

     (vi) Any additional electric provider revenue considered by

 

the commission to be attributable to the renewable energy

 

standards.

 

     (vii) Any revenues recovered in rates for renewable energy

 

costs that are included under subdivision (a).

 

     (3) The commission shall authorize If, before the effective

 

date of the 2015 amendatory act that amended this section, the

 

commission authorized an electric provider whose rates are

 

regulated by the commission to spend in any given month more to

 

comply with this act and implement an approved renewable energy

 

plan than the revenue actually generated by the former revenue

 

recovery mechanism, . An electric provider whose rates are

 

regulated by the commission the provider shall recover its

 

commission approved pre-tax rate of return on regulatory assets

 

during the appropriate period. An electric provider whose rates are

 

regulated by the commission shall record interest on regulatory

 

liabilities at the average short-term borrowing rate available to

 


the electric provider during the appropriate period. Any regulatory

 

assets or liabilities resulting from the recovery costs of

 

renewable energy or advanced cleaner energy attributable to the

 

former renewable energy standards through the power supply cost

 

recovery clause under section 6j of 1939 PA 3, MCL 460.6j, shall

 

continue to be reconciled under that section.

 

     (4) If an electric provider's incremental costs of compliance

 

in any given month during the 20-year period beginning when the

 

electric provider's plan is approved by the commission are in

 

excess of the revenue recovery mechanism as adjusted under section

 

49 and in excess of the balance of any accumulated reserve funds,

 

subject to the minimum balance established under section 21, the

 

electric provider shall immediately notify the commission. The

 

commission shall promptly commence a contested case hearing

 

pursuant to the administrative procedures act of 1969, 1969 PA 306,

 

MCL 24.201 to 24.328, and modify the revenue recovery mechanism so

 

that the minimum balance is restored. However, if the commission

 

determines that recovery of the incremental costs of compliance

 

would otherwise exceed the maximum retail rate impacts specified

 

under section 45, it shall set the revenue recovery mechanism for

 

that electric provider to correspond to the maximum retail rate

 

impacts. Excess costs shall be accrued and deferred for recovery.

 

Not later than the expiration of the 20-year period beginning when

 

the electric provider's plan is approved by the commission, for an

 

electric provider whose rates are regulated by the commission, the

 

commission shall determine the amount of deferred costs to be

 

recovered under the revenue recovery mechanism and the recovery

 


period, which shall not extend more than 5 years beyond the

 

expiration of the 20-year period beginning when the electric

 

provider's plan is approved by the commission. The recovery of

 

excess costs shall be proportional to the retail rate impact limits

 

in section 45 for each customer class. The recovery of excess costs

 

alone, or, if begun before the expiration of the 20-year period, in

 

combination with the recovery of incremental costs of compliance

 

under the revenue recovery mechanism, shall not exceed the retail

 

rate impact limits of section 45 for each customer class.

 

     (4) (5) If, at the expiration of the 20-year period beginning

 

when the electric provider's plan is approved by the commission, an

 

electric provider whose rates are regulated by the commission has a

 

regulatory liability, the refund to customer classes shall be

 

proportional to the amounts paid by those customer classes under

 

the former revenue recovery mechanism.

 

     (5) (6) After achieving compliance with the renewable energy

 

standard for 2015, the actual costs reasonably and prudently

 

incurred to continue to comply with this subpart both during and

 

after the conclusion of the 20-year period beginning when the

 

electric provider's plan is was approved by the commission shall be

 

considered costs of service. The commission shall determine a

 

mechanism for an electric provider whose rates are regulated by the

 

commission to recover these costs in its retail electric rates. ,

 

subject to the retail rate impact limits in section 45. Remaining

 

and future regulatory assets shall be recovered consistent with

 

subsections (2) and (3). and section 49.

 

SUBPART B. CUSTOMER-REQUESTED RENEWABLE ENERGY

 


     Sec. 61. An electric provider shall offer to its customers the

 

opportunity to participate in a voluntary green pricing program

 

under which the customer may specify, from the options made

 

available by the electric provider, the percentage of electricity

 

provided to the customer that will be renewable energy. The

 

program, including the rates paid for renewable energy, must be

 

approved by the commission. The customer is responsible for any

 

additional costs incurred and accrues any additional savings

 

realized by the electric provider as a result of providing the

 

customer with a higher percentage of renewable energy than is

 

provided to customers that do not participate in the program. If an

 

electric provider has not yet fully recovered the incremental costs

 

of compliance, both of the following apply:

 

     (a) A customer that receives at least 50% of the customer's

 

average monthly electricity consumption through the program is

 

exempt from paying charges for incremental costs of compliance.

 

     (b) Before entering an agreement with a customer to

 

participate in a commission-approved voluntary green pricing

 

program with a customer that will not receive at least 50% of the

 

customer's average monthly electricity consumption through the

 

program, the electric provider shall notify the customer that the

 

customer will be responsible for the full applicable charges under

 

the revenue recovery mechanism and under the voluntary renewable

 

energy program as provided under this section.

 

SUBPART B. C. ENERGY OPTIMIZATION WASTE REDUCTION

 

     Sec. 71. (1) A provider shall file a proposed energy

 

optimization plan with the commission within the following time

 


period:

 

     (a) For a provider whose rates are regulated by the

 

commission, 90 days after the commission enters a temporary order

 

under section 171.by March 3, 2009.

 

     (b) For a cooperative electric utility that has elected to

 

become member-regulated under the electric cooperative member

 

regulation act, 2008 PA 167, MCL 460.31 to 460.39, or a

 

municipally-owned electric utility, 120 days after the commission

 

enters a temporary order under section 171.by April 2, 2009.

 

     (2) Energy optimization plans filed under subsection (1)

 

remain in effect, subject to any amendments, as energy waste

 

reduction plans.

 

     (3) (2) The overall goal of an energy optimization waste

 

reduction plan shall be to reduce the future costs of provider

 

service to customers. In particular, an EO energy waste reduction

 

plan shall be designed to delay the need for constructing new

 

electric generating facilities and thereby protect consumers from

 

incurring the costs of such construction. The proposed energy

 

optimization plan shall be subject to approval in the same manner

 

as an electric provider's renewable energy plan under subpart A. A

 

provider may combine its energy optimization plan with its

 

renewable energy plan.

 

     (4) (3) An energy optimization waste reduction plan shall do

 

all of the following:

 

     (a) Propose a set of energy optimization waste reduction

 

programs that include offerings for each customer class, including

 

low income low-income residential. The commission shall allow

 


providers a provider flexibility to tailor the relative amount of

 

effort devoted to each customer class based on the specific

 

characteristics of their the provider's service territory.

 

     (b) Specify necessary funding levels.

 

     (c) Describe how energy optimization waste reduction program

 

costs will be recovered as provided in section 89(2).

 

     (d) Ensure, to the extent feasible, that charges collected

 

from a particular customer rate class are spent on energy

 

optimization waste reduction programs for that rate class.

 

     (e) Demonstrate that the proposed energy optimization programs

 

and funding are sufficient to ensure the achievement of applicable

 

energy optimization waste reduction standards.

 

     (f) Specify whether the number of megawatt hours of

 

electricity or decatherms or MCFs of natural gas used in the

 

calculation of incremental energy savings under section 77 will be

 

weather-normalized or based on the average number of megawatt hours

 

of electricity or decatherms or MCFs of natural gas sold by the

 

provider annually during the previous 3 years to retail customers

 

in this state. Once the plan is approved by the commission, this

 

option shall not be changed.

 

     (g) Demonstrate that the provider's energy optimization waste

 

reduction programs, excluding program offerings to low income low-

 

income residential customers, will collectively be cost-effective.

 

     (h) Provide for the practical and effective administration of

 

the proposed energy optimization waste reduction programs. The

 

commission shall allow providers flexibility in designing their

 

energy optimization waste reduction programs and administrative

 


approach. A provider's energy optimization waste reduction programs

 

or any part thereof, may be administered, at the provider's option,

 

by the provider, alone or jointly with other providers, by a state

 

agency, or by an appropriate experienced nonprofit organization

 

selected after a competitive bid process.

 

     (i) Include a process for obtaining an independent expert

 

evaluation of the actual energy optimization waste reduction

 

programs to verify the incremental energy savings from each energy

 

optimization waste reduction program for purposes of section 77.

 

All such evaluations shall be subject to public review and

 

commission oversight.

 

     (5) (4) Subject to subsection (5), (6), an energy optimization

 

waste reduction plan may do 1 or more of the following:

 

     (a) Utilize educational programs designed to alter consumer

 

behavior or any other measures that can reasonably be used to meet

 

the goals set forth in subsection (2).(3).

 

     (b) Propose to the commission measures that are designed to

 

meet the goals set forth in subsection (1) (3) and that provide

 

additional customer benefits.

 

     (6) (5) Expenditures under subsection (4) (5) shall not exceed

 

3% of the costs of implementing the energy optimization waste

 

reduction plan.

 

     (7) This section as amended by the 2015 amendatory act that

 

added this subsection takes effect 90 days after the date that act

 

is enacted into law.

 

     (8) This section is repealed effective January 1, 2019.

 

     Sec. 72. (1) A natural gas provider was required to file a

 


proposed energy optimization plan with the commission by March 3,

 

2009. Those plans remain in effect, subject to any amendments, as

 

energy waste reduction plans.

 

     (2) The overall goal of an energy waste reduction plan shall

 

be to reduce the future costs of natural gas provider service to

 

customers.

 

     (3) An energy waste reduction plan shall do all of the

 

following:

 

     (a) Propose a set of energy waste reduction programs that

 

include offerings for each customer class, including low-income

 

residential. The commission shall allow a provider flexibility to

 

tailor the relative amount of effort devoted to each customer class

 

based on the specific characteristics of the provider's service

 

territory.

 

     (b) Specify necessary funding levels.

 

     (c) Describe how energy waste reduction program costs will be

 

recovered as provided in section 89a(2), including specifying

 

whether the charges to recover costs under section 89a(2) will be

 

volumetric or fixed per-meter charges.

 

     (d) Ensure, to the extent feasible, that charges collected

 

from a particular customer rate class are spent on energy waste

 

reduction programs for that rate class.

 

     (e) Demonstrate that the proposed energy waste reduction

 

programs and funding are sufficient to ensure the achievement of

 

applicable energy waste reduction standards.

 

     (f) Specify whether the number of decatherms or MCFs of

 

natural gas used in the calculation of incremental energy savings

 


under section 77a will be weather-normalized or based on the

 

average number of decatherms or MCFs of natural gas sold by the

 

provider annually during the previous 3 years to retail customers

 

in this state. Once the plan is approved by the commission, this

 

option shall not be changed.

 

     (g) Demonstrate that the provider's energy waste reduction

 

programs, excluding program offerings to low-income residential

 

customers, will collectively be cost-effective.

 

     (h) Provide for the practical and effective administration of

 

the proposed energy waste reduction programs. The commission shall

 

allow natural gas providers flexibility in designing their energy

 

waste reduction programs and administrative approach, including the

 

flexibility to determine the relative amount of effort to be

 

devoted to each customer class based on the specific

 

characteristics of the natural gas provider's service territory. A

 

natural gas provider's energy waste reduction programs or any part

 

thereof may be administered, at the natural gas provider's option,

 

by the provider, alone or jointly with other natural gas providers,

 

by a state agency, or by an appropriate experienced nonprofit

 

organization selected after a competitive bid process.

 

     (i) Include a process for obtaining an independent expert

 

evaluation of the actual energy waste reduction programs to verify

 

the incremental energy savings from each energy waste reduction

 

program for purposes of section 77a. All such evaluations shall be

 

subject to public review and commission oversight.

 

     (4) Subject to subsection (5), an energy waste reduction plan

 

may do 1 or more of the following:

 


     (a) Utilize educational programs designed to alter consumer

 

behavior or any other measures that can reasonably be used to meet

 

the goal set forth in subsection (2).

 

     (b) Propose to the commission measures that are designed to

 

meet the goal set forth in subsection (2) and that provide

 

additional customer benefits.

 

     (5) Expenditures under subsection (4) shall not exceed 3% of

 

the costs of implementing the energy waste reduction plan.

 

     (6) This section takes effect January 1, 2019.

 

     Sec. 73. (1) A natural gas provider's energy optimization

 

waste reduction plan shall be filed , with and reviewed, and

 

approved or rejected, and enforced by the commission. and enforced

 

subject to the same procedures that apply to a renewable energy

 

plan.

 

     (2) The commission shall not approve a proposed energy

 

optimization waste reduction plan unless the commission determines

 

that the EO plan meets the utility system resource cost test and is

 

reasonable and prudent. In determining whether the EO energy waste

 

reduction plan is reasonable and prudent, the commission shall

 

review each element and consider whether it would reduce the future

 

cost of service for the natural gas provider's customers. In

 

addition, the commission shall consider at least all of the

 

following:

 

     (a) The specific changes in customers' consumption patterns

 

that the proposed EO energy waste reduction plan is attempting to

 

influence.

 

     (b) The cost and benefit analysis and other justification for

 


specific programs and measures included in a proposed EO energy

 

waste reduction plan.

 

     (c) Whether the proposed EO energy waste reduction plan is

 

consistent with any long-range resource plan filed by the provider

 

with the commission.

 

     (d) Whether the proposed EO energy waste reduction plan will

 

result in any unreasonable prejudice or disadvantage to any class

 

of customers.

 

     (e) The extent to which the EO energy waste reduction plan

 

provides programs that are available, affordable, and useful to all

 

customers.

 

     (3) Every 2 years after initial approval of an energy waste

 

reduction plan under subsection (2), the commission shall review

 

the plan. The commission shall conduct a contested case hearing on

 

the plan pursuant to the administrative procedures act of 1969,

 

1969 PA 306, MCL 24.201 to 24.328. After the hearing, the

 

commission shall approve, with any changes consented to by the

 

natural gas provider, or reject the plan and any proposed

 

amendments to the plan.

 

     (4) If a natural gas provider proposes to amend its plan at a

 

time other than during the biennial review process under subsection

 

(3), the provider shall file the proposed amendment with the

 

commission. After the hearing and within 90 days after the

 

amendment is filed, the commission shall approve, with any changes

 

consented to by the provider, or reject the plan and the proposed

 

amendment or amendments to the plan.

 

     (5) If the commission rejects a proposed plan or amendment

 


under this section, the commission shall explain in writing the

 

reasons for its determination.

 

     (6) This section, as amended by the 2015 amendatory act that

 

added this subsection, takes effect January 1, 2019.

 

     Sec. 74. (1) A provider's energy waste reduction plan shall be

 

filed with and reviewed, approved or rejected, and enforced by the

 

commission.

 

     (2) The commission shall not approve a proposed energy waste

 

reduction plan unless the commission determines that the energy

 

waste reduction plan meets the utility system resource cost test

 

and is reasonable and prudent. In determining whether the energy

 

waste reduction plan is reasonable and prudent, the commission

 

shall review each element and consider whether it would reduce the

 

future cost of service for the provider's customers. In addition,

 

the commission shall consider at least all of the following:

 

     (a) The specific changes in customers' consumption patterns

 

that the proposed energy waste reduction plan is attempting to

 

influence.

 

     (b) The cost and benefit analysis and other justification for

 

specific programs and measures included in a proposed energy waste

 

reduction plan.

 

     (c) Whether the proposed energy waste reduction plan is

 

consistent with any long-range resource plan filed by the provider

 

with the commission.

 

     (d) Whether the proposed energy waste reduction plan will

 

result in any unreasonable prejudice or disadvantage to any class

 

of customers.

 


     (e) The extent to which the energy waste reduction plan

 

provides programs that are available, affordable, and useful to all

 

customers.

 

     (3) Every 2 years after initial approval of an energy waste

 

reduction plan under subsection (2), the commission shall review

 

the plan. The commission shall conduct a contested case hearing on

 

the plan pursuant to the administrative procedures act of 1969,

 

1969 PA 306, MCL 24.201 to 24.328. After the hearing, the

 

commission shall approve, with any changes consented to by the

 

provider, or reject the plan and any proposed amendments to the

 

plan.

 

     (4) If a provider proposes to amend its plan at a time other

 

than during the biennial review process under subsection (3), the

 

provider shall file the proposed amendment with the commission.

 

After the hearing and within 90 days after the amendment is filed,

 

the commission shall approve, with any changes consented to by the

 

provider, or reject the plan and the proposed amendment or

 

amendments to the plan.

 

     (5) By 270 days after the effective date of the 2015

 

amendatory act that added this section, an electric provider shall

 

file with the commission a proposed plan amendment under subsection

 

(3) or (4) to reflect the phaseout of the energy waste reduction

 

standard under section 77.

 

     (6) If the commission rejects a proposed plan or amendment

 

under this section, the commission shall explain in writing the

 

reasons for its determination.

 

     (7) This section takes effect 90 days after the effective date

 


of the 2015 amendatory act that added this section.

 

     (8) This section is repealed effective January 1, 2019.

 

     Sec. 75. (1) An energy optimization waste reduction plan of a

 

provider whose rates are regulated by the commission may authorize

 

a commensurate financial incentive for the provider for exceeding

 

the energy optimization waste reduction performance standard.

 

Payment of any financial incentive authorized in the EO energy

 

waste reduction plan is subject to the approval of the commission.

 

The total amount of a financial incentive shall not exceed the

 

lesser of the following amounts:

 

     (a) 25% of the net cost reductions experienced by the

 

provider's customers as a result of implementation of the energy

 

optimization plan.

 

     (b) 15% percent 20% of the provider's actual energy efficiency

 

waste reduction program expenditures for the year.

 

     (2) This section as amended by the 2015 amendatory act that

 

added this subsection takes effect 90 days after the date that act

 

is enacted into law.

 

     Sec. 77. (1) Except as provided in section 81 and subject to

 

the sales revenue expenditure limits in section 89, an electric

 

provider's energy optimization waste reduction programs under this

 

subpart shall collectively achieve the following minimum energy

 

savings:

 

     (a) Biennial incremental energy savings in 2008-2009

 

equivalent to 0.3% of total annual retail electricity sales in

 

megawatt hours in 2007.

 

     (b) Annual incremental energy savings in 2010 equivalent to

 


0.5% of total annual retail electricity sales in megawatt hours in

 

2009.

 

     (c) Annual incremental energy savings in 2011 equivalent to

 

0.75% of total annual retail electricity sales in megawatt hours in

 

2010.

 

     (d) Annual annual incremental energy savings in 2012, 2013,

 

2014, and 2015 and, subject to section 97, each year thereafter

 

2016, 2017, and 2018 equivalent to 1.0% of total annual retail

 

electricity sales in megawatt hours in the preceding year.

 

     (2) If an electric provider uses load management to achieve

 

energy savings under its energy optimization waste reduction plan,

 

the minimum energy savings required under subsection (1) shall be

 

adjusted by an amount such that the ratio of the minimum energy

 

savings to the sum of maximum expenditures under section 89 and the

 

load management expenditures remains constant.

 

     (3) A natural gas provider shall meet the following minimum

 

energy optimization standards using energy efficiency programs

 

under this subpart:

 

     (a) Biennial incremental energy savings in 2008-2009

 

equivalent to 0.1% of total annual retail natural gas sales in

 

decatherms or equivalent MCFs in 2007.

 

     (b) Annual incremental energy savings in 2010 equivalent to

 

0.25% of total annual retail natural gas sales in decatherms or

 

equivalent MCFs in 2009.

 

     (c) Annual incremental energy savings in 2011 equivalent to

 

0.5% of total annual retail natural gas sales in decatherms or

 

equivalent MCFs in 2010.

 


     (3) (d) Annual Subject to the sales revenue expenditure limits

 

in section 89, a natural gas provider's energy waste reduction

 

program under this subpart shall achieve annual incremental energy

 

savings in 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015 and, subject to section 97,

 

each year thereafter equivalent to 0.75% of total annual retail

 

natural gas sales in decatherms or equivalent MCFs in the preceding

 

year.

 

     (4) Incremental energy savings under subsection (1) or (3) for

 

the 2008-2009 biennium or any year thereafter a year shall be

 

determined for a provider by adding the energy savings expected to

 

be achieved during a 1-year period by energy optimization waste

 

reduction measures implemented during the 2008-2009 biennium or any

 

year thereafter that year under any energy efficiency programs

 

consistent with the provider's energy efficiency waste reduction

 

plan. The energy savings expected to be achieved shall be

 

determined using the 2015 "Michigan Energy Measures Database"

 

supplied by Morgan Marketing Partners, subject to any updates that

 

the commission approves as being reasonable and consistent with the

 

purposes of this subpart.

 

     (5) For purposes of calculations under subsection (1) or (3),

 

total annual retail electricity or natural gas sales in a year

 

shall be based on 1 of the following at the option of the provider

 

as specified in its energy optimization waste reduction plan:

 

     (a) The number of weather-normalized megawatt hours or

 

decatherms or equivalent MCFs sold by the provider to retail

 

customers in this state during the year preceding the biennium or

 

year for which incremental energy savings are being calculated.

 


     (b) The average number of megawatt hours or decatherms or

 

equivalent MCFs sold by the provider during the 3 years preceding

 

the biennium or year for which incremental energy savings are being

 

calculated.

 

     (6) For any year after 2012, an electric provider may

 

substitute renewable energy credits associated with renewable

 

energy generated that year from a renewable energy system

 

constructed after the effective date of this act, advanced cleaner

 

energy credits other than credits from industrial cogeneration

 

using industrial waste energy, load management that reduces overall

 

energy usage, or a combination thereof for energy optimization

 

credits otherwise required to meet the energy optimization

 

performance standard, if the substitution is approved by the

 

commission. The commission shall not approve a substitution unless

 

the commission determines that the substitution is cost-effective

 

and, if the substitution involves advanced cleaner energy credits,

 

that the advanced cleaner energy system provides carbon dioxide

 

emissions benefits. In determining whether the substitution of

 

advanced cleaner energy credits is cost-effective compared to other

 

available energy optimization measures, the commission shall

 

consider the environmental costs related to the advanced cleaner

 

energy system, including the costs of environmental control

 

equipment or greenhouse gas constraints or taxes. The commission's

 

determinations shall be made after a contested case hearing that

 

includes consultation with the department of environmental quality

 

on the issue of carbon dioxide emissions benefits, if relevant, and

 

environmental costs.

 


     (7) Renewable energy credits, advanced cleaner energy credits,

 

load management that reduces overall energy usage, or a combination

 

thereof shall not be used by a provider to meet more than 10% of

 

the energy optimization standard. Substitutions for energy

 

optimization credits shall be made at the following rates per

 

energy optimization credit:

 

     (a) 1 renewable energy credit.

 

     (b) 1 advanced cleaner energy credit from plasma arc

 

gasification.

 

     (c) 4 advanced cleaner energy credits other than from plasma

 

arc gasification.

 

     (6) This section as amended by the 2015 amendatory act that

 

added this subsection takes effect 90 days after the date that act

 

is enacted into law.

 

     (7) This section is repealed effective January 1, 2019.

 

     Sec. 77a. (1) Subject to the sales revenue expenditure limits

 

in section 89, a natural gas provider's energy waste reduction

 

program under this subpart shall achieve annual incremental energy

 

savings in 2019 and, subject to section 97, each year thereafter

 

equivalent to 0.75% of total annual retail natural gas sales in

 

decatherms or equivalent MCFs in the preceding year.

 

     (2) Incremental energy savings under subsection (1) for a year

 

shall be determined for a natural gas provider by adding the energy

 

savings expected to be achieved by energy waste reduction measures

 

implemented during that year under any energy efficiency programs

 

consistent with the provider's energy waste reduction plan. The

 

energy savings expected to be achieved shall be determined using

 


the 2015 "Michigan Energy Measures Database" supplied by Morgan

 

Marketing Partners, subject to any updates that the commission

 

approves as being reasonable and consistent with the purposes of

 

this subpart.

 

     (3) For purposes of calculations under subsection (1), total

 

annual retail natural gas sales in a year shall be based on 1 of

 

the following at the option of the natural gas provider as

 

specified in its energy waste reduction plan:

 

     (a) The number of weather-normalized decatherms or equivalent

 

MCFs sold by the provider to retail customers in this state during

 

the year preceding the year for which incremental energy savings

 

are being calculated.

 

     (b) The average number of decatherms or equivalent MCFs sold

 

by the provider during the 3 years preceding the year for which

 

incremental energy savings are being calculated.

 

     (4) This section takes effect January 1, 2019.

 

     Sec. 78. (1) If over a 2-year period a natural gas provider

 

cannot achieve the energy waste reduction standard in a cost-

 

effective manner, the natural gas provider may petition the

 

commission to establish alternative energy waste reduction

 

standards.

 

     (2) A petition filed pursuant to this section shall:

 

     (a) Identify the efforts taken by the natural gas provider to

 

meet the energy waste reduction standard.

 

     (b) Explain why the energy waste reduction standard cannot

 

reasonably and cost-effectively be achieved.

 

     (c) Propose a revised energy waste reduction to be achieved by

 


the natural gas provider.

 

     (3) If, based on a review of the petition filed under this

 

section, the commission determines that the natural gas provider

 

has been unable to reasonably and cost-effectively achieve the

 

energy waste reduction standard, the commission shall revise the

 

energy waste reduction standard as applied to the natural gas

 

provider to a level that can reasonably and cost-effectively be

 

achieved.

 

     (4) This section takes effect 90 days after the date the 2015

 

amendatory act that added this section is enacted into law.

 

     Sec. 81. (1) This section applies to electric providers that

 

meet both of the following requirements:

 

     (a) Serve not more than 200,000 customers in this state.

 

     (b) Had average electric rates for residential customers using

 

1,000 kilowatt hours per month that are were less than 75% of the

 

average electric rates for residential customers using 1,000

 

kilowatt hours per month for all electric utilities in this state,

 

according to the January 1, 2007, "comparison of average rates for

 

MPSC-regulated electric utilities in Michigan" compiled by the

 

commission.

 

     (2) Beginning 2 years after a provider described in subsection

 

(1) begins implementation of its energy optimization waste

 

reduction plan, the provider may petition the commission to

 

establish alternative energy optimization waste reduction

 

standards. The petition shall identify the efforts taken by the

 

provider to meet the electric provider energy optimization waste

 

reduction standards and demonstrate why the energy optimization

 


waste reduction standards cannot reasonably be met with energy

 

optimization waste reduction programs that are collectively cost-

 

effective. If the commission finds that the petition meets the

 

requirements of this subsection, the commission shall revise the

 

energy optimization waste reduction standards as applied to that

 

electric provider to a level that can reasonably be met with energy

 

optimization waste reduction programs that are collectively cost-

 

effective.

 

     (3) This section as amended by the 2015 amendatory act that

 

added this subsection takes effect 90 days after the date that act

 

is enacted into law.

 

     (4) This section is repealed effective January 1, 2019.

 

     Sec. 83. (1) One energy optimization waste reduction credit

 

shall be granted to a an electric provider for each megawatt hour

 

of annual incremental energy savings achieved through energy

 

optimization.waste reduction.

 

     (2) An energy optimization waste reduction credit expires as

 

follows:

 

     (a) When used by a provider to comply with its energy

 

optimization waste reduction performance standard.

 

     (b) When substituted for a renewable energy credit under

 

section 27.

 

     (b) (c) As provided in subsection (3).

 

     (3) If a provider's incremental energy savings in the 2008-

 

2009 biennium or any year thereafter exceed the applicable energy

 

optimization waste reduction standard, the associated energy

 

optimization waste reduction credits may be carried forward and

 


applied to the next year's energy optimization waste reduction

 

standard. However, all of the following apply:

 

     (a) The number of energy optimization waste reduction credits

 

carried forward shall not exceed 1/3 of the next year's standard.

 

Any energy optimization waste reduction credits carried forward to

 

the next year shall expire that year. Any remaining energy

 

optimization credits shall expire at the end of the year in which

 

the incremental energy savings were achieved, unless substituted,

 

by an electric provider, for renewable energy credits under section

 

27.

 

     (b) Energy optimization waste reduction credits shall not be

 

carried forward if, for its performance during the same biennium or

 

year, the provider accepts a financial incentive under section 75.

 

The excess energy optimization waste reduction credits shall expire

 

at the end of the year in which the incremental energy savings were

 

achieved. , unless substituted, by an electric provider, for

 

renewable energy credits under section 27.

 

     (4) This section as amended by the 2015 amendatory act that

 

added this subsection takes effect 90 days after the date that act

 

is enacted into law.

 

     (5) This section is repealed effective January 1, 2019.

 

     Sec. 85. (1) An energy optimization waste reduction credit is

 

not transferable to another entity.

 

     (2) The commission, in the 2011 report under section 97, shall

 

make recommendations concerning a program for transferability of

 

energy optimization credits.

 

     (2) This section as amended by the 2015 amendatory act that

 


added this subsection takes effect 90 days after the date that act

 

is enacted into law.

 

     (3) This section is repealed effective January 1, 2019.

 

     Sec. 87. (1) The commission shall establish an energy

 

optimization waste reduction credit certification and tracking

 

program. The certification and tracking program may be contracted

 

to and performed by a third party through a system of competitive

 

bidding. The program shall include all of the following:

 

     (a) A determination of the date after which energy

 

optimization waste reduction must be achieved to be eligible for an

 

energy optimization waste reduction credit.

 

     (b) A method for ensuring that each energy optimization credit

 

substituted for a renewable energy credit under section 27 or

 

carried forward under section 83 is properly accounted for.

 

     (b) (c) If the system is established by the commission,

 

allowance for issuance and use of energy optimization waste

 

reduction credits in electronic form.

 

     (2) This section as amended by the 2015 amendatory act that

 

added this subsection takes effect 90 days after the date that act

 

is enacted into law.

 

     (3) This section is repealed effective January 1, 2019.

 

     Sec. 89. (1) The commission shall allow a provider whose rates

 

are regulated by the commission to recover the actual costs of

 

implementing its approved energy optimization waste reduction plan.

 

However, costs exceeding the overall funding levels specified in

 

the energy optimization waste reduction plan are not recoverable

 

unless those costs are reasonable and prudent and meet the utility

 


system resource cost test. Furthermore, costs for load management

 

undertaken pursuant to an energy optimization waste reduction plan

 

are not recoverable as energy optimization waste reduction program

 

costs under this section, but may be recovered as described in

 

section 95.

 

     (2) Under subsection (1), costs shall be recovered from all

 

natural gas customers and from residential electric customers by

 

volumetric charges , from all other metered electric customers by

 

per-meter charges, and from unmetered electric customers by an

 

appropriate charge, applied to utility bills as an itemized

 

charge.or fixed, per-meter charges. Fixed, per-meter charges under

 

this subsection may vary by rate class. Charges under this

 

subsection shall not be itemized on utility bills.

 

     (3) For the electric primary customer rate class customers of

 

electric providers and customers of natural gas providers with an

 

aggregate annual natural gas billing demand of more than 100,000

 

decatherms or equivalent MCFs for all sites in the natural gas

 

utility's service territory, the cost recovery under subsection (1)

 

shall not exceed 1.7% of total retail sales revenue for that

 

customer class. For electric secondary customers and for

 

residential customers, the cost recovery shall not exceed 2.2% of

 

total retail sales revenue for those customer classes.

 

     (4) Upon petition by a provider whose rates are regulated by

 

the commission, the commission shall authorize the provider to

 

capitalize all energy efficiency and energy conservation equipment,

 

materials, and installation costs with an expected economic life

 

greater than 1 year incurred in implementing its energy

 


optimization waste reduction plan, including such costs paid to

 

third parties, such as customer rebates and customer incentives.

 

The provider shall also propose depreciation treatment with respect

 

to its capitalized costs in its energy optimization waste reduction

 

plan, and the commission shall order reasonable depreciation

 

treatment related to these capitalized costs. A provider shall not

 

capitalize payments made to an independent energy optimization

 

waste reduction program administrator under section 91.

 

     (5) The established funding level for low income residential

 

programs shall be provided from each customer rate class in

 

proportion to that customer rate class's funding of the provider's

 

total energy optimization waste reduction programs. Charges shall

 

be applied to distribution customers regardless of the source of

 

their electricity or natural gas supply.

 

     (6) The commission shall authorize a natural gas provider that

 

spends a minimum of 0.5% of total natural gas retail sales

 

revenues, including natural gas commodity costs, in a year on

 

commission-approved energy optimization waste reduction programs to

 

implement a symmetrical revenue decoupling true-up mechanism that

 

adjusts for sales volumes that are above or below the projected

 

levels that were used to determine the revenue requirement

 

authorized in the natural gas provider's most recent rate case. In

 

determining the symmetrical revenue decoupling true-up mechanism

 

utilized for each provider, the commission shall give deference to

 

the proposed mechanism submitted by the provider. The commission

 

may approve an alternative mechanism if the commission determines

 

that the alternative mechanism is reasonable and prudent. The

 


commission shall authorize the natural gas provider to decouple

 

rates regardless of whether the natural gas provider's energy

 

optimization waste reduction programs are administered by the

 

provider or an independent energy optimization waste reduction

 

program administrator under section 91.

 

     (7) A To comply with the energy waste reduction standard in

 

any year, a natural gas provider or an electric provider shall not

 

spend more than the following percentage 2.0% of total utility

 

retail sales revenues, including electricity or natural gas

 

commodity costs, in any year to comply with the energy optimization

 

performance standard without specific approval from the

 

commission:for the second year preceding.

 

     (a) In 2009, 0.75% of total retail sales revenues for 2007.

 

     (b) In 2010, 1.0% of total retail sales revenues for 2008.

 

     (c) In 2011, 1.5% of total retail sales revenues for 2009.

 

     (d) In 2012 and each year thereafter, 2.0% of total retail

 

sales revenues for the 2 years preceding.

 

     (8) This section as amended by the 2015 amendatory act that

 

added this subsection takes effect 90 days after the date that act

 

is enacted into law.

 

     (9) This section is repealed effective January 1, 2019.

 

     Sec. 89a. (1) The commission shall allow a natural gas

 

provider whose rates are regulated by the commission to recover the

 

actual costs of implementing its approved energy waste reduction

 

plan. However, costs exceeding the overall funding levels specified

 

in the energy waste reduction plan are not recoverable unless those

 

costs are reasonable and prudent and meet the utility system

 


resource cost test.

 

     (2) Under subsection (1), costs shall be recovered from all

 

natural gas customers by volumetric charges or fixed, per-meter

 

charges as specified in the energy waste reduction plan. Fixed,

 

per-meter charges under this subsection may vary by rate class.

 

Charges under this subsection shall not be itemized on utility

 

bills.

 

     (3) For customers of natural gas providers with an aggregate

 

annual natural gas billing demand of more than 100,000 decatherms

 

or equivalent MCFs for all sites in the natural gas utility's

 

service territory, the cost recovery under subsection (1) shall not

 

exceed 1.7% of total retail sales revenue for that customer class.

 

For residential customers, the cost recovery shall not exceed 2.2%

 

of total retail sales revenue for that customer class.

 

     (4) Upon petition by a natural gas provider whose rates are

 

regulated by the commission, the commission shall authorize the

 

provider to capitalize all energy efficiency and energy

 

conservation equipment, materials, and installation costs with an

 

expected economic life greater than 1 year incurred in implementing

 

its energy waste reduction plan, including such costs paid to third

 

parties, such as customer rebates and customer incentives. The

 

provider shall also propose depreciation treatment with respect to

 

its capitalized costs in its energy waste reduction plan, and the

 

commission shall order reasonable depreciation treatment related to

 

these capitalized costs. A natural gas provider shall not

 

capitalize payments made to an independent energy waste reduction

 

program administrator under section 91a.

 


     (5) The established funding level for low-income residential

 

programs shall be provided from each customer rate class in

 

proportion to that customer rate class's funding of the natural gas

 

provider's total energy waste reduction programs. Charges shall be

 

applied to distribution customers regardless of the source of their

 

natural gas supply.

 

     (6) The commission shall authorize a natural gas provider that

 

spends a minimum of 0.5% of total natural gas retail sales

 

revenues, including natural gas commodity costs, in a year on

 

commission-approved energy waste reduction programs to implement a

 

symmetrical revenue decoupling true-up mechanism that adjusts for

 

sales volumes that are above or below the projected levels that

 

were used to determine the revenue requirement authorized in the

 

natural gas provider's most recent rate case. In determining the

 

symmetrical revenue decoupling true-up mechanism utilized for each

 

natural gas provider, the commission shall give deference to the

 

proposed mechanism submitted by the natural gas provider. The

 

commission may approve an alternative mechanism if the commission

 

determines that the alternative mechanism is reasonable and

 

prudent. The commission shall authorize the natural gas provider to

 

decouple rates regardless of whether the natural gas provider's

 

energy waste reduction programs are administered by the provider or

 

an independent energy waste reduction program administrator under

 

section 91a.

 

     (7) A natural gas provider shall not spend in any year more

 

than 2.0% of total utility retail sales revenues, including natural

 

gas commodity costs, for the second year preceding to comply with

 


the energy waste reduction performance standard without specific

 

approval from the commission.

 

     (8) This section takes effect January 1, 2019.

 

     Sec. 91. (1) Except for section 89(6), sections 71 to 89 do

 

not apply to a provider that pays the following percentage of total

 

utility sales revenues, including electricity or natural gas

 

commodity costs, each year to an independent energy optimization

 

waste reduction program administrator selected by the commission:

 

     (a) In 2009, 0.75% of total retail sales revenues for 2007.

 

     (b) In 2010, 1.0% of total retail sales revenues for 2008.

 

     (c) In 2011, 1.5% of total retail sales revenues for 2009.

 

     (d) In 2012 and each year thereafter, 2.0% of total retail

 

sales revenues for the 2 years preceding.

 

     (a) For a natural gas provider, 2.0% of total retail sales

 

revenues for the second year preceding.

 

     (b) For an electric provider, as follows:

 

     (i) For each year through 2016, 2.0% of total retail sales

 

revenues for 2014.

 

     (ii) For 2017, 1.0% of total retail sales revenues for 2015.

 

     (iii) For 2018, 1.0% of total retail sales revenues for 2016.

 

     (2) An alternative compliance payment received from a provider

 

by the energy optimization waste reduction program administrator

 

under subsection (1) shall be used to administer energy efficiency

 

programs for the provider. Money unspent in a year shall be carried

 

forward to be spent in the subsequent year.

 

     (3) The commission shall allow a provider to recover an

 

alternative compliance payment under subsection (1). This cost

 


shall be recovered from residential customers by volumetric charges

 

, from all other metered customers by per-meter charges, and from

 

unmetered customers by an appropriate charge, applied to or fixed,

 

per-meter charges. Fixed, per-meter charges under this subsection

 

may vary by rate class. Charges under this subsection shall not be

 

itemized on utility bills.

 

     (4) An alternative compliance payment under subsection (1)

 

shall only be used to fund energy optimization waste reduction

 

programs for that provider's customers. To the extent feasible,

 

charges collected from a particular customer rate class and paid to

 

the energy optimization waste reduction program administrator under

 

subsection (1) shall be devoted to energy optimization waste

 

reduction programs and services for that rate class.

 

     (5) Money paid to the energy optimization waste reduction

 

program administrator under subsection (1) and not spent by the

 

administrator that year shall remain available for expenditure the

 

following year, subject to the requirements of subsection (4).

 

     (6) The commission shall select a qualified nonprofit

 

organization to serve as an energy optimization waste reduction

 

program administrator under this section, through a competitive bid

 

process.

 

     (7) The commission shall arrange for a biennial independent

 

audit of the energy optimization waste reduction program

 

administrator.

 

     (8) This section as amended by the 2015 amendatory act that

 

added this subsection takes effect 90 days after the date that act

 

is enacted into law.

 


     (9) This section is repealed effective January 1, 2019.

 

     Sec. 91a. (1) Except for section 89a(6), sections 71 to 89a do

 

not apply to a natural gas provider that each year pays 2.0% of

 

total utility sales revenues, including electricity or natural gas

 

commodity costs, for the second year preceding to an independent

 

energy waste reduction program administrator selected by the

 

commission.

 

     (2) An alternative compliance payment received from a natural

 

gas provider by the energy waste reduction program administrator

 

under subsection (1) shall be used to administer energy waste

 

reduction programs for the provider. Money unspent in a year shall

 

be carried forward to be spent in the subsequent year.

 

     (3) The commission shall allow a natural gas provider to

 

recover an alternative compliance payment under subsection (1).

 

This cost shall be recovered from customers by volumetric charges

 

or fixed, per-meter charges. Fixed, per-meter charges under this

 

subsection may vary by rate class. Charges under this subsection

 

shall not be itemized on utility bills.

 

     (4) An alternative compliance payment under subsection (1)

 

shall only be used to fund energy waste reduction programs for that

 

provider's customers. To the extent feasible, charges collected

 

from a particular customer rate class and paid to the energy waste

 

reduction program administrator under subsection (1) shall be

 

devoted to energy waste reduction programs and services for that

 

rate class.

 

     (5) Money paid to the energy waste reduction program

 

administrator under subsection (1) and not spent by the

 


administrator that year shall remain available for expenditure the

 

following year, subject to subsection (4).

 

     (6) The commission shall select a qualified nonprofit

 

organization to serve as an energy waste reduction program

 

administrator under this section through a competitive bid process.

 

     (7) The commission shall arrange for a biennial independent

 

audit of the energy waste reduction program administrator.

 

     (8) This section takes effect January 1, 2019.

 

     Sec. 93. (1) An eligible electric customer is exempt from

 

charges the customer would otherwise incur as an electric customer

 

under section 89 or 91 if the customer files with its electric

 

provider and implements a self-directed energy optimization waste

 

reduction plan as provided in this section.

 

     (2) Subject to subsection (3), an electric customer is not

 

eligible under subsection (1) unless it is a commercial or

 

industrial electric customer and meets all of the following

 

requirements:

 

     (a) In 2009 or 2010, the customer must have had an annual peak

 

demand in the preceding year of at least 2 megawatts at each site

 

to be covered by the self-directed plan or 10 megawatts in the

 

aggregate at all sites to be covered by the plan.

 

     (b) In 2011, 2012, or 2013, the customer or customers must

 

have had an annual peak demand in the preceding year of at least 1

 

megawatt at each site to be covered by the self-directed plan or 5

 

megawatts in the aggregate at all sites to be covered by the plan.

 

     (c) In 2014 or any year thereafter, the customer or customers

 

must have had an annual peak demand in the preceding year of at

 


least 1 megawatt in the aggregate at all sites to be covered by the

 

self-directed plan.

 

     (3) The eligibility requirements of subsection (2) do not

 

apply to a commercial or industrial customer that installs or

 

modifies an electric energy efficiency improvement under a property

 

assessed clean energy program pursuant to the property assessed

 

clean energy act, 2010 PA 270, MCL 460.931 to 460.949.

 

     (4) The commission shall by order establish the rates, terms,

 

and conditions of service for customers related to this subpart.

 

     (5) The commission shall by order do all of the following:

 

     (a) Require a customer to utilize the services of an energy

 

optimization waste reduction service company to develop and

 

implement a self-directed plan. This subdivision does not apply to

 

a customer that had an annual peak demand in the preceding year of

 

at least 2 megawatts at each site to be covered by the self-

 

directed plan or 10 megawatts in the aggregate at all sites to be

 

covered by the self-directed plan.

 

     (b) Provide a mechanism to recover from customers under

 

subdivision (a) the costs for provider level review and evaluation.

 

     (c) Provide a mechanism to cover the costs of the low income

 

low-income energy optimization waste reduction program under

 

section 89.

 

     (6) All of the following apply to a self-directed energy

 

optimization waste reduction plan under subsection (1):

 

     (a) The self-directed plan shall be a multiyear plan for an

 

ongoing energy optimization waste reduction program.

 

     (b) The self-directed plan shall provide for aggregate energy

 


savings that each year meet or exceed the energy optimization waste

 

reduction standards based on the electricity purchases in the

 

previous year for the site or sites covered by the self-directed

 

plan.

 

     (c) Under the self-directed plan, energy optimization waste

 

reduction shall be calculated based on annual electricity usage.

 

Annual electricity usage shall be normalized so that none of the

 

following are included in the calculation of the percentage of

 

incremental energy savings:

 

     (i) Changes in electricity usage because of changes in

 

business activity levels not attributable to energy

 

optimization.waste reduction.

 

     (ii) Changes in electricity usage because of the installation,

 

operation, or testing of pollution control equipment.

 

     (d) The self-directed plan shall specify whether electricity

 

usage will be weather-normalized or based on the average number of

 

megawatt hours of electricity sold by the electric provider

 

annually during the previous 3 years to retail customers in this

 

state. Once the self-directed plan is submitted to the provider,

 

this option shall not be changed.

 

     (e) The self-directed plan shall outline how the customer

 

intends to achieve the incremental energy savings specified in the

 

self-directed plan.

 

     (7) A self-directed energy optimization waste reduction plan

 

shall be incorporated into the relevant electric provider's energy

 

optimization waste reduction plan. The self-directed plan and

 

information submitted by the customer under subsection (10) are

 


confidential and exempt from disclosure under the freedom of

 

information act, 1976 PA 442, MCL 15.231 to 15.246. Projected

 

energy savings from measures implemented under a self-directed plan

 

shall be attributed to the relevant provider's energy optimization

 

waste reduction programs for the purposes of determining annual

 

incremental energy savings achieved by the provider under section

 

77 or 81, as applicable.

 

     (8) Once a customer begins to implement a self-directed plan

 

at a site covered by the self-directed plan, that site is exempt

 

from energy optimization waste reduction program charges under

 

section 89 or 91 and is not eligible to participate in the relevant

 

electric provider's energy optimization waste reduction programs.

 

     (9) A customer implementing a self-directed energy

 

optimization waste reduction plan under this section shall annually

 

submit to the customer's electric provider a brief report

 

documenting the energy efficiency measures taken under the self-

 

directed plan during the previous year, and the corresponding

 

energy savings that will result. The report shall provide

 

sufficient information for the provider and the commission to

 

monitor progress toward the goals in the self-directed plan and to

 

develop reliable estimates of the energy savings that are being

 

achieved from self-directed plans. The customer report shall

 

indicate the level of incremental energy savings achieved for the

 

year covered by the report and whether that level of incremental

 

energy savings meets the goal set forth in the customer's self-

 

directed plan. If a customer submitting a report under this

 

subsection wishes to amend its self-directed plan, the customer

 


shall submit with the report an amended self-directed plan. A

 

report under this subsection shall be accompanied by an affidavit

 

from a knowledgeable official of the customer that the information

 

in the report is true and correct to the best of the official's

 

knowledge and belief. If the customer has retained an independent

 

energy optimization waste reduction service company, the

 

requirements of this subsection shall be met by the energy

 

optimization waste reduction service company.

 

     (10) An electric provider shall provide an annual report to

 

the commission that identifies customers implementing self-directed

 

energy optimization waste reduction plans and summarizes the

 

results achieved cumulatively under those self-directed plans. The

 

commission may request additional information from the electric

 

provider. If the commission has sufficient reason to believe the

 

information is inaccurate or incomplete, it may request additional

 

information from the customer to ensure accuracy of the report.

 

     (11) If the commission determines after a contested case

 

hearing that the minimum energy optimization waste reduction goals

 

under subsection (6)(b) have not been achieved at the sites covered

 

by a self-directed plan, in aggregate, the commission shall order

 

the customer or customers collectively to pay to this state an

 

amount calculated as follows:

 

     (a) Determine the proportion of the shortfall in achieving the

 

minimum energy optimization waste reduction goals under subsection

 

(6)(b).

 

     (b) Multiply the figure under subdivision (a) by the energy

 

optimization waste reduction charges from which the customer or

 


customers collectively were exempt under subsection (1).

 

     (c) Multiply the product under subdivision (b) by a number not

 

less than 1 or greater than 2, as determined by the commission

 

based on the reasons for failure to meet the minimum energy

 

optimization waste reduction goals.

 

     (12) If a customer has submitted a self-directed plan to an

 

electric provider, the customer, the customer's energy optimization

 

waste reduction service company, if applicable, or the electric

 

provider shall provide a copy of the self-directed plan to the

 

commission upon request.

 

     (13) By September 1, 2010, following a public hearing, the

 

commission shall establish an approval process for energy

 

optimization waste reduction service companies. The approval

 

process shall ensure that energy optimization waste reduction

 

service companies have the expertise, resources, and business

 

practices to reliably provide energy optimization waste reduction

 

services that meet the requirements of this section. The commission

 

may adopt by reference the past or current standards of a national

 

or regional certification or licensing program for energy

 

optimization waste reduction service companies. However, the

 

approval process shall also provide an opportunity for energy

 

optimization waste reduction service companies that are not

 

recognized by such a program to be approved by posting a bond in an

 

amount determined by the commission and meeting any other

 

requirements adopted by the commission for the purposes of this

 

subsection. The approval process for energy optimization waste

 

reduction service companies shall require adherence to a code of

 


conduct governing the relationship between energy optimization

 

waste reduction service companies and electric providers.

 

     (14) The department of energy, labor, and economic growth

 

licensing and regulatory affairs shall maintain on the department's

 

website a list of energy optimization waste reduction service

 

companies approved under subsection (13).

 

     (15) This section as amended by the 2015 amendatory act that

 

added this subsection takes effect 90 days after the date that act

 

is enacted into law.

 

     (16) This section is repealed effective January 1, 2019.

 

     Sec. 95. (1) The commission shall do all of the following:

 

     (a) Promote load management in appropriate circumstances,

 

including encouraging the establishment of load management programs

 

in which an electric provider may remotely shut down air

 

conditioning or other energy intensive systems of participating

 

customers. Electric provider participation and customer enrollment

 

in such programs shall be voluntary. The programs may provide

 

incentives for customer participation and shall include customer

 

protection provisions as required by the commission.

 

     (b) Actively pursue increasing public awareness of load

 

management techniques.

 

     (c) Engage in regional load management efforts to reduce the

 

annual demand for energy whenever possible.

 

     (d) Work with residential, commercial, and industrial

 

customers to reduce annual demand and conserve energy through load

 

management techniques and other activities it considers

 

appropriate. The commission shall file a report with the

 


legislature by December 31, 2010 on the effort to reduce peak

 

demand. The report shall also include any recommendations for

 

legislative action concerning load management that the commission

 

considers necessary.

 

     (2) The commission may allow a provider whose rates are

 

regulated by the commission to recover costs for load management

 

undertaken pursuant to an energy optimization plan through base

 

rates as part of a proceeding under section 6 of 1939 PA 3, MCL

 

460.6, if the costs are reasonable and prudent and meet the utility

 

systems resource cost test.

 

     (3) The commission shall do all of the following:

 

     (a) Promote energy efficiency and energy conservation.

 

     (b) Actively pursue increasing public awareness of energy

 

conservation and energy efficiency.

 

     (c) Actively engage in energy conservation and energy

 

efficiency efforts with providers.

 

     (d) Engage in regional efforts to reduce demand for energy

 

through energy conservation and energy efficiency.

 

     (e) By November 30, 2009, and each year thereafter, submit to

 

the standing committees of the senate and house of representatives

 

with primary responsibility for energy and environmental issues a

 

report on the effort to implement energy conservation and energy

 

efficiency programs or measures. The report may include any

 

recommendations of the commission for energy conservation

 

legislation.

 

     (3) (4) This subpart does not limit the authority of the

 

commission, following an integrated resource plan proceeding and as

 


part of a rate-making process, to allow a provider whose rates are

 

regulated by the commission to recover for additional prudent

 

energy efficiency and energy conservation measures not included in

 

the provider's energy optimization waste reduction plan if the

 

provider has met the requirements of the energy optimization waste

 

reduction program.

 

     (4) This section as amended by the 2015 amendatory act that

 

added this subsection takes effect 90 days after the date that act

 

is enacted into law.

 

     Sec. 97. (1) By a time determined by the commission, each

 

provider shall submit to the commission an annual report that

 

provides information relating to the actions taken by the provider

 

to comply with the energy optimization waste reduction standards.

 

By that same time, a municipally-owned electric utility shall

 

submit a copy of the report to the governing body of the

 

municipally-owned electric utility, and a cooperative electric

 

utility shall submit a copy of the report to its board of

 

directors.

 

     (2) An annual report under subsection (1) shall include all of

 

the following information:

 

     (a) The number of energy optimization waste reduction credits

 

that the provider generated during the reporting period.

 

     (b) Expenditures made in the past year and anticipated future

 

expenditures to comply with this subpart.

 

     (c) Any other information that the commission determines

 

necessary.

 

     (3) Concurrent with the submission of each report under

 


subsection (1), a municipally-owned electric utility shall submit a

 

summary of the report to its customers in their bills with a bill

 

insert and to its governing body. Concurrent with the submission of

 

each report under subsection (1), a cooperative electric utility

 

shall submit a summary of the report to its members in a periodical

 

issued by an association of rural electric cooperatives and to its

 

board of directors. A municipally-owned electric utility or

 

cooperative electric provider shall make a copy of the report

 

available at its office and shall post a copy of the report on its

 

website. A summary under this section shall indicate that a copy of

 

the report is available at the office or website.

 

     (4) Not later than 1 year after the effective date of this

 

act, the commission shall submit a report on the potential rate

 

impacts on all classes of customers if the electric providers whose

 

rates are regulated by the commission decouple rates. The report

 

shall be submitted to the standing committees of the senate and

 

house of representatives with primary responsibility for energy and

 

environmental issues. The commission's report shall review whether

 

decoupling would be cost-effective and would reduce the overall

 

consumption of fossil fuels in this state.

 

     (5) By October 1, 2010, the commission shall submit to the

 

committees described in subsection (4) any recommendations for

 

legislative action to increase energy conservation and energy

 

efficiency based on reports under subsection (1), the energy

 

optimization plans approved under section 89, and the commission's

 

own investigation. By March 1, 2013, the commission shall submit to

 

those committees a report on the progress of electric providers in

 


achieving reductions in energy use. The commission may use an

 

independent evaluator to review the submissions by electric

 

providers.

 

     (4) (6) By February 15, 2011 and each year thereafter and by

 

September 30, 2015, the The commission shall submit to the standing

 

committees described in subsection (4) of the senate and house of

 

representatives with primary responsibility for energy issues a

 

report that evaluates and determines whether this subpart and

 

subpart A have each has been cost-effective and makes

 

recommendations to the legislature. The report shall may be

 

combined with any concurrent report by the commission under section

 

51.the annual report under section 5a of 1939 PA 3, MCL 460.5a.

 

     (7) The report required by September 30, 2015 under subsection

 

(6) shall also review the opportunities for additional cost-

 

effective energy optimization programs and make any recommendations

 

the commission may have for legislation providing for the

 

continuation, expansion, or reduction of energy optimization

 

standards. That report shall also include the commission's

 

determinations of all of the following:

 

     (a) The percentage of total energy savings required by the

 

energy optimization standards that have actually been achieved by

 

each electric provider and by all electric providers cumulatively.

 

     (b) The percentage of total energy savings required by the

 

energy optimization standards that have actually been achieved by

 

each natural gas provider and by all natural gas providers

 

cumulatively.

 

     (c) For each provider, whether that provider's program under

 


this subpart has been cost-effective.

 

     (5) (8) If the commission determines in its report required by

 

September 30, 2015 under subsection (6) or determines subsequently

 

that a provider's energy optimization waste reduction program under

 

this subpart has not been cost-effective, the provider's program is

 

suspended beginning 180 days after the date of the report or

 

subsequent determination. If a provider's energy optimization waste

 

reduction program is suspended under this subsection, both of the

 

following apply:

 

     (a) The provider shall maintain cumulative incremental energy

 

savings in megawatt hours or decatherms or equivalent MCFs in

 

subsequent years at the level actually achieved during the year

 

preceding the year in which the commission's determination is made.

 

     (b) The provider shall not impose energy optimization waste

 

reduction charges in subsequent years except to the extent

 

necessary to recover unrecovered energy optimization waste

 

reduction expenses incurred under this subpart before suspension of

 

the provider's program.

 

     (6) This section is repealed effective January 1, 2019.

 

     Sec. 98. (1) By a time determined by the commission, each

 

natural gas provider shall submit to the commission an annual

 

report that provides information relating to the actions taken by

 

the provider to comply with the energy waste reduction standards.

 

     (2) An annual report under subsection (1) shall include all of

 

the following information:

 

     (a) The amount of energy waste reduction achieved during the

 

reporting period.

 


     (b) Expenditures made in the past year and anticipated future

 

expenditures to comply with this subpart.

 

     (c) Any other information that the commission determines

 

necessary.

 

     (3) The commission shall submit to the standing committees of

 

the senate and house of representatives with primary responsibility

 

for energy and environmental issues a report that evaluates and

 

determines whether this subpart has been cost-effective and makes

 

recommendations to the legislature. The report shall be combined

 

with the annual report under section 5a of 1939 PA 3, MCL 460.5a.

 

     (4) If the commission determines that a natural gas provider's

 

energy waste reduction program under this subpart has not been

 

cost-effective, the natural gas provider's program is suspended

 

beginning 180 days after the date of the subsequent determination.

 

If a provider's energy waste reduction program is suspended under

 

this subsection, both of the following apply:

 

     (a) The natural gas provider shall maintain cumulative

 

incremental energy savings in decatherms or equivalent MCFs in

 

subsequent years at the level actually achieved during the year

 

preceding the year in which the commission's determination is made.

 

     (b) The natural gas provider shall not impose energy waste

 

reduction charges in subsequent years except to the extent

 

necessary to recover unrecovered energy waste reduction expenses

 

incurred under this subpart before suspension of the provider's

 

program.

 

     (5) This section takes effect January 1, 2019.

 

     Sec. 99. (1) The attorney general or any customer of a

 


cooperative electric utility that has elected to become member-

 

regulated under the electric cooperative member-regulation act,

 

2008 PA 167, MCL 460.31 to 460.39, may commence a civil action for

 

injunctive relief against such a cooperative electric utility if

 

the electric provider fails to meet the applicable requirements of

 

this subpart or an order issued or rule promulgated under this

 

subpart.

 

     (2) An action under subsection (1) shall be commenced in the

 

circuit court for the circuit in which the principal office of the

 

cooperative electric utility that has elected to become member-

 

regulated is located. An action shall not be filed under subsection

 

(1) unless the prospective plaintiff has given the prospective

 

defendant and the commission at least 60 days' written notice of

 

the prospective plaintiff's intent to sue, the basis for the suit,

 

and the relief sought. Within 30 days after the prospective

 

defendant receives written notice of the prospective plaintiff's

 

intent to sue, the prospective defendant and plaintiff shall meet

 

and make a good faith attempt to determine if there is a credible

 

basis for the action. If both parties agree that there is a

 

credible basis for the action, the prospective defendant shall take

 

all reasonable and prudent steps necessary to comply with the

 

applicable requirements of this subpart within 90 days of the

 

meeting.

 

     (3) In issuing a final order in an action brought under

 

subsection (1), the court may award costs of litigation, including

 

reasonable attorney and expert witness fees, to the prevailing or

 

substantially prevailing party.

 


     (4) Upon receipt of a complaint by any customer of a

 

municipally-owned electric utility or upon the commission's own

 

motion, the commission may review allegations that the municipally-

 

owned electric utility has violated this subpart or an order issued

 

or rule promulgated under this subpart. If the commission finds,

 

after notice and hearing, that a municipally-owned electric utility

 

has violated this subpart or an order issued or rule promulgated

 

under this subpart, the commission shall advise the attorney

 

general. The attorney general may commence a civil action for

 

injunctive relief against the municipally-owned electric utility in

 

the circuit court for the circuit in which the principal office of

 

the municipally-owned electric utility is located.

 

     (5) In issuing a final order in an action brought under

 

subsection (4), the court may award costs of litigation, including

 

reasonable attorney and expert witness fees, to the prevailing or

 

substantially prevailing party.

 

     (6) This section takes effect 90 days after the date the 2015

 

amendatory act that added this section is enacted into law.

 

     (7) This section is repealed effective January 1, 2019.

 

SUBPART C.D.

 

MISCELLANEOUS

 

     Sec. 113. (1) Notwithstanding any other provision of this

 

part, electricity or natural gas used in the installation,

 

operation, or testing of any pollution control equipment is exempt

 

from the requirements of, and calculations of compliance required

 

under, this part.

 

     (2) This section, as amended by the 2015 amendatory act that

 


added this subsection, takes effect January 1, 2019.

 

                               PART 5.

 

               DISTRIBUTED GENERATION AND NET METERING

 

     Sec. 173. (1) The commission shall establish a statewide net

 

metering distributed generation program by order issued not later

 

than 180 90 days after the effective date of this act. No later

 

than 180 days after the effective date of this act, the commission

 

shall promulgate rules regarding any time limits on the submission

 

of net metering applications or inspections of net metering

 

equipment and any other matters the commission considers necessary

 

to implement this part. the 2015 amendatory act that amended this

 

section. The commission may promulgate rules the commission

 

considers necessary to implement this program. Any rules adopted

 

regarding time limits for approval of parallel operation shall

 

recognize reliability and safety complications including those

 

arising from equipment saturation, use of multiple technologies,

 

and proximity to synchronous motor loads. The program shall apply

 

to all electric utilities and alternative electric suppliers in

 

this state.

 

     (2) Except as otherwise provided under this part, customers a

 

customer of any class are is eligible to interconnect an eligible

 

electric generators generator with the customer's local electric

 

utility and operate the generators eligible electric generator in

 

parallel with the distribution system. The program shall be

 

designed for a period of not less than 10 years and limit each

 

customer to generation capacity designed to meet only the

 

customer's electric needs. up to 110% of the customer's average

 


annual electricity consumption. The commission may waive the

 

application, interconnection, and installation requirements of this

 

part for customers participating in the net metering program under

 

the commission's March 29, 2005 order in case no. U-14346 or the

 

distributed generation program under this part.

 

     (3) (2) An electric utility or alternative electric supplier

 

is not required to allow for net metering distributed generation

 

that is greater than 1% 10% of its average in-state peak load for

 

the preceding 5 calendar year. years. The electric utility or

 

alternative electric supplier shall notify the commission if its

 

net metering distributed generation program reaches the 1%

 

requirement 10% limit under this subsection. The 1% 10% limit under

 

this subsection shall be allocated as follows:

 

     (a) No more than 0.5% 5% for customers with a system an

 

eligible electric generator capable of generating 20 kilowatts or

 

less.

 

     (b) No more than 0.25% 2.5% for customers with a system an

 

eligible electric generator capable of generating more than 20

 

kilowatts but not more than 150 kilowatts.

 

     (c) No more than 0.25% 2.5% for customers with a system an

 

eligible electric generator capable of generating more than 150

 

kilowatts.

 

     (4) (3) Selection of customers for participation in the net

 

metering distributed generation program shall be based on the order

 

in which the applications for participation in the net metering

 

program are received by the electric utility or alternative

 

electric supplier.

 


     (5) (4) An electric utility or alternative electric supplier

 

shall not discontinue or refuse to provide or discontinue electric

 

service to a customer solely for the reason that because the

 

customer participates in the net metering distributed generation

 

program.

 

     (6) (5) The distributed generation program created under

 

subsection (1) shall include all of the following:

 

     (a) Statewide uniform interconnection requirements for all

 

eligible electric generators. The interconnection requirements

 

shall be designed to protect electric utility workers and equipment

 

and the general public.

 

     (b) Net metering Distributed generation equipment and its

 

installation must shall meet all current local and state electric

 

and construction code requirements. Any equipment that is certified

 

by a nationally recognized testing laboratory to IEEE 1547.1

 

testing standards and in compliance with UL 1741 scope 1.1A,

 

effective May 7, 2007, and installed in compliance with this part

 

is considered to be eligible equipment. Within the time provided by

 

the commission in rules promulgated under subsection (1) and

 

consistent with good utility practice, and the protection of

 

electric utility workers, protection of electric utility equipment,

 

and protection of the general public, an electric utility may

 

study, confirm, and ensure that an eligible electric generator

 

installation at the customer's site meets the IEEE 1547 anti-

 

islanding requirements. If necessary to promote reliability or

 

safety, the commission may promulgate rules that require the use of

 

inverters that perform specific automated grid-balancing functions

 


to integrate distributed generation onto the electric grid.

 

Inverters that interconnect distributed generation resources may be

 

owned and operated by electric utilities. Utility testing and

 

approval of the interconnection and execution of a parallel

 

operating agreement must be completed prior to the equipment

 

operating in parallel with the distribution system of the utility.

 

     (c) A uniform application form and process to be used by all

 

electric utilities and alternative electric suppliers in this

 

state. Customers who are served by an alternative electric supplier

 

shall submit a copy of the application to the electric utility for

 

the customer's service area.

 

     (d) Net metering customers with a system capable of generating

 

20 kilowatts or less qualify for true net metering.

 

     (e) Net metering customers with a system capable of generating

 

more than 20 kilowatts qualify for modified net metering.

 

     (7) (6) Each electric utility and alternative electric

 

supplier shall maintain records of all applications and up-to-date

 

records of all active eligible electric generators located within

 

their service area.

 

     Sec. 175. (1) An electric utility or alternative electric

 

supplier may charge a fee not to exceed $100.00 $50.00 to process

 

an application for net metering. A customer with a system capable

 

of generating more than 20 kilowatts to participate in the

 

distributed generation program. The customer shall pay all

 

interconnection costs. A customer with a system capable of

 

generating more than 150 kilowatts shall pay standby costs. The

 

commission shall recognize the reasonable cost for each electric

 


utility and alternative electric supplier to operate a net metering

 

distributed generation program. For an electric utility with

 

1,000,000 or more retail customers in this state, the commission

 

shall include in that electric utility's nonfuel base rates all

 

costs of meeting all program requirements except that all energy

 

costs of the program shall be recovered through the utility's power

 

supply cost recovery mechanism under sections section 6j and 6k of

 

1939 PA 3, MCL 460.6j. and 460.6k. For an electric utility with

 

less fewer than 1,000,000 base distribution customers in this

 

state, the commission shall allow that electric utility to recover

 

all energy costs of the program through the power supply cost

 

recovery mechanism under sections section 6j and 6k of 1939 PA 3,

 

MCL 460.6j, and 460.6k, and shall develop a cost recovery mechanism

 

for that utility to contemporaneously recover all other costs of

 

meeting the program requirements.

 

     (2) The interconnection requirements of the net metering

 

distributed generation program shall provide that an electric

 

utility or alternative electric supplier shall, subject to any time

 

requirements imposed by the commission and upon reasonable written

 

notice to the net metering distributed generation customer, perform

 

testing and inspection of an interconnected eligible electric

 

generator as is necessary to determine that the system complies

 

with all applicable electric safety, power quality, and

 

interconnection requirements. The costs of testing and inspection

 

are considered a cost of operating a net metering distributed

 

generation program and shall be recovered under subsection (1).

 

     (3) The interconnection requirements shall require all

 


eligible electric generators, alternative electric suppliers, and

 

electric utilities to comply with all applicable federal, state,

 

and local laws, rules, or regulations, and any national standards

 

as determined by the commission.

 

     Sec. 177. (1) Electric meters shall be used to determine the

 

amount of the customer's energy electricity use in each billing

 

period , net of any excess energy the customer's generator delivers

 

to the utility distribution system during that same billing period.

 

For a customer with a generation system capable of generating more

 

than 20 kilowatts, the utility shall install and utilize a

 

generation meter and a meter or meters capable of measuring the

 

flow of energy in both directions. A customer with a system capable

 

of generating more than 150 kilowatts shall pay the costs of

 

installing any new meters.and the amount of electricity produced by

 

the eligible electric generator on the customer's site.

 

     (2) An electric utility serving over 1,000,000 customers in

 

this state may shall provide its customers participating in the net

 

metering distributed generation program, at no additional charge,

 

cost, a meter or meters capable of measuring the flow of energy in

 

both directions.

 

     (3) An electric utility serving fewer than 1,000,000 customers

 

in this state shall provide a meter or meters described in

 

subsection (2) to customers participating in the net metering

 

program at cost. Only the incremental cost above that for meters

 

provided by the electric utility to similarly situated

 

nongenerating customers shall be paid by the eligible customer.

 

     (3) (4) If the quantity of electricity generated and delivered

 


to the utility distribution system by an eligible electric

 

generator during a billing period exceeds the quantity of

 

electricity supplied from the electric utility or alternative

 

electric supplier during the billing period, the eligible customer

 

shall be credited by their supplier of electric generation service

 

for the excess kilowatt hours generated during the billing period.

 

The credit shall appear on the bill for the following billing

 

period and shall be limited to the total power supply charges on

 

that bill. Any excess kilowatt hours not used to offset electric

 

generation charges in the next billing period will be carried

 

forward to subsequent billing periods. A customer participating in

 

the distributed generation program shall purchase all of the

 

electricity the customer consumes from the electric utility or

 

alternative electric supplier at the applicable retail electricity

 

rates and charges. If participating in net metering, the customer

 

shall receive a bill credit for all electricity produced by the

 

eligible electric generator on the customer's site. The bill credit

 

shall be the value of the energy avoided by the electric utility or

 

alternative electric supplier as a result of the customer's

 

participation. The value of the energy avoided by the electric

 

utility or alternative electric supplier shall be determined by

 

applying the day-ahead wholesale energy market clearing price at

 

the appropriate pricing node for each kilowatt-hour produced by the

 

eligible electric generator. The value of the energy avoided shall

 

be determined by applying the relevant independent system

 

operator's monthly capacity auction clearing price for each

 

kilowatt per month, discounted for variable generating units

 


according to the methodology used by the independent system

 

operator. If the bill credit exceeds the charges for the customer's

 

electric consumption, the bill credit shall carry over to

 

subsequent billing periods indefinitely until fully utilized to

 

offset charges for the customer's electric consumption. The

 

electric utility or alternative electric supplier may, upon

 

approval by the commission, charge a minimum bill amount to support

 

the customer's use of the electric grid for any month in which a

 

customer's monthly bill credit exceeds the charges for the

 

customer's consumption. Notwithstanding any law or regulation, net

 

metering distributed generation program customers shall not receive

 

credits for electric utility transmission or distribution charges.

 

The credit per kilowatt hour for kilowatt hours delivered into the

 

utility's distribution system shall be either of the following:

 

     (a) The monthly average real-time locational marginal price

 

for energy at the commercial pricing node within the electric

 

utility's distribution service territory, or for net metering

 

customers on a time-based rate schedule, the monthly average real-

 

time locational marginal price for energy at the commercial pricing

 

node within the electric utility's distribution service territory

 

during the time-of-use pricing period.

 

     (b) The electric utility's or alternative electric supplier's

 

power supply component of the full retail rate during the billing

 

period or time-of-use pricing period.

 

     (4) A customer participating in the distributed generation

 

program shall be charged the electric utility's or alternative

 

electric supplier's full retail rate for all inflow. For total

 


customer generation minus outflow, the customer shall pay all

 

delivery charges applicable to the electric utility's or

 

alternative electric supplier's retail rate, plus the nonfuel

 

portion of the electric utility's or alternative electric

 

supplier's power supply rates.

 

     Sec. 179. An eligible electric generator A customer shall own

 

any renewable energy credits granted for electricity generated on

 

the customer's site under the net metering distributed generation

 

program created in this part.

 

                               PART 7.

 

                   RESIDENTIAL ENERGY IMPROVEMENTS

 

     Sec. 201. As used in this part:

 

     (a) "Energy waste reduction improvement" means equipment,

 

devices, or materials intended to decrease energy consumption,

 

including, but not limited to, all of the following:

 

     (i) Insulation in walls, roofs, floors, foundations, or

 

heating and cooling distribution systems.

 

     (ii) Storm windows and doors; multi-glazed windows and doors;

 

heat-absorbing or heat-reflective glazed and coated window and door

 

systems; and additional glazing, reductions in glass area, and

 

other window and door system modifications that reduce energy

 

consumption.

 

     (iii) Automated energy control systems.

 

     (iv) Heating, ventilating, or air-conditioning and

 

distribution system modifications or replacements.

 

     (v) Air sealing, caulking, and weather-stripping.

 

     (vi) Lighting fixtures that reduce the energy use of the

 


lighting system.

 

     (vii) Energy recovery systems.

 

     (viii) Day lighting systems.

 

     (ix) Electrical wiring or outlets to charge a motor vehicle

 

that is fully or partially powered by electricity.

 

     (x) Measures to reduce the usage of water or increase the

 

efficiency of water usage.

 

     (xi) Any other installation or modification of equipment,

 

devices, or materials approved as a utility cost-savings measure by

 

the governing body.

 

     (b) "Energy project" means the installation or modification of

 

an energy waste reduction improvement or the acquisition,

 

installation, or improvement of a clean energy system.

 

     (c) "Home energy audit" means an evaluation of the energy

 

performance of a residential structure, by a qualified person using

 

building-performance diagnostic equipment and complying with

 

American National Standards Institute-approved home energy audit

 

standards, that meets both of the following requirements:

 

     (i) Determines how best to optimize energy performance while

 

maintaining or improving human comfort, health, and safety and the

 

durability of the structure.

 

     (ii) Includes a baseline energy model and cost-benefit

 

analysis for recommended energy waste reduction improvements.

 

     (d) "Property" means privately owned residential real

 

property.

 

     (e) "Record owner" means the person or persons possessed of

 

the most recent fee title or land contract vendee's interest in

 


property as shown by the records of the county register of deeds.

 

     (f) "Residential energy projects program" or "program" means a

 

program as described in section 203(2).

 

     Sec. 203. (1) Pursuant to section 205, a provider may

 

establish a residential energy projects program.

 

     (2) Under a residential energy projects program, if a record

 

owner of property in the provider's service territory obtains

 

financing or refinancing of an energy project on the property from

 

a commercial lender or other legal entity, including an independent

 

subsidiary of the provider, the loan is repaid through itemized

 

charges on the provider's utility bill for that property. The

 

itemized charges may cover the cost of materials and labor

 

necessary for installation, home energy audit costs, permit fees,

 

inspection fees, application and administrative fees, bank fees,

 

and all other fees that may be incurred by the record owner for the

 

installation on a specific or pro rata basis, as determined by the

 

provider.

 

     Sec. 205. (1) A residential energy projects program shall be

 

established and implemented pursuant to a plan approved by the

 

commission. A provider seeking to establish a residential energy

 

projects program shall file a proposed plan with the commission.

 

     (2) A plan under subsection (1) shall include all of the

 

following:

 

     (a) The estimated costs of administration of the residential

 

energy projects program.

 

     (b) Whether the residential energy projects program will be

 

administered by a third party. 

 


     (c) An application process and eligibility requirements for a

 

record owner to participate in the residential energy projects

 

program.

 

     (d) An application form governing the terms and conditions for

 

a record owner's participation in the program, including an

 

explanation of billing under subdivision (f) and of the provisions

 

of section 207.

 

     (e) A description of any fees to cover application,

 

administration, or other program costs to be charged to a record

 

owner participating in the program, including the amount of each

 

fee, if known, or procedures to determine the amount. A fee shall

 

not exceed the costs incurred by the provider for the activity for

 

which the fees are charged.

 

     (f) Provisions for billing customers of the provider any fees

 

under subdivision (e) and the monthly installment payments as a

 

per-meter charge on the bill for electric or natural gas services.

 

     (g) Provisions for marketing and participant education.   

 

     (3) The commission shall not approve a provider's proposed

 

residential energy projects plan unless the commission determines

 

that the plan is reasonable and prudent.  

 

     (4) If the commission rejects a proposed plan or amendment

 

under this section, the commission shall explain in writing the

 

reasons for its determination.

 

     (5) Every 4 years after initial approval of a plan under

 

subsection (1), the commission shall review the plan.     

 

     Sec. 207. (1) A baseline home energy audit shall be conducted

 

before an energy project is undertaken. After the energy project is

 


completed, the provider shall obtain verification that the energy

 

project was properly installed and is operating as intended.

 

     (2) Electric or natural gas service may be shut off for

 

nonpayment of the per-meter charge described under section 205 in

 

the same manner and pursuant to the same procedures as used to

 

enforce nonpayment of other charges for the provider's electric or

 

natural gas service. If notice of a loan under the program is

 

recorded with the register of deeds for the county in which the

 

property is located, the obligation to pay the per-meter charge

 

shall run with the land and be binding on future customers

 

contracting for electric service or natural gas service, as

 

applicable, to the property.

 

     Sec. 209. (1) The term of a loan paid through a residential

 

energy projects program shall not exceed the anticipated useful

 

life of the energy project financed by the loan or 180 months,

 

whichever is less. The loan shall be repaid in monthly

 

installments.

 

     (2) The lender shall comply with all state and federal laws

 

applicable to the extension of credit for home improvements.

 

     (3) If a nonprofit corporation makes loans to owners of

 

property to be repaid under a residential energy project program,

 

interest shall be charged on the unpaid balance at a rate of not

 

more than the adjusted prime rate as determined under section 23 of

 

1941 PA 122, MCL 205.23, plus 4%.

 

     Sec. 211. (1) Pursuant to the administrative procedures act of

 

1969, 1969 PA 306, MCL 24.201 to 24.328, the commission shall

 

promulgate rules to implement this part within 1 year after the

 


effective date of this section.

 

     (2) Every 5 years after the promulgation of rules under

 

subsection (1), the commission shall submit a report to the

 

standing committees of the senate and house of representatives with

 

primary responsibility for energy issues on the implementation of

 

this part and any recommendations for legislation to amend this

 

part. The report may be combined with the annual report under

 

section 5a of 1939 PA 3, MCL 460.5a.

 

     Enacting section 1. Sections 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, 33, 35,

 

37, 39, 43, 45, 49, 51, 53, and 79 of the clean, renewable, and

 

efficient energy act, 2008 PA 295, MCL 460.1021, 460.1023,

 

460.1025, 460.1027, 460.1029, 460.1031, 460.1033, 460.1035,

 

460.1037, 460.1039, 460.1043, 460.1045, 460.1049, 460.1051,

 

460.1053, and 460.1079, are repealed.

 

     Enacting section 2. Except as otherwise provided in this

 

amendatory act, this amendatory act takes effect 90 days after the

 

date it is enacted into law.