The Bonneville Power Administration recently kicked off its Post-2011 Energy Efficiency Review ("Post-2011 Review") of the energy efficiency policy framework and associated implementation elements put in place on Oct. 1, 2011. These policies primarily affect the energy efficiency funding and program relationships between BPA and its customer utilities (though regional third party administered programs are also involved). A scope of review document was initially published in September and updated earlier this month. Comments on the review draft closed on December 21st.
Beginning this month, BPA will organize some months of conversation on the approximately 15 issues identified in draft scope. To do that, BPA is forming 5 working groups composed of BPA utility representative and other interested stakeholders. The groups and the issues they will be working on include;
Workgroup One: Model for Achieving Programmatic Savings
- EEI Allocation Methodology Using TOCAs
- Utility Self-Funding
- Two-Year EEI Budgets
- BPA "Take Back" of EEI Funds
- BPA’s Backstop Role
- Regional Program Administration
- Limitations of the Post-2011 Framework
Workgroup Two: Implementation Manual
- Frequency of Changes to the Implementation Manual
Workgroup Three: Low Income
- Funding Low-Income Residential Energy Efficiency
Workgroup Four: Flexibility Mechanisms
- Large Project Fund
- Unassigned Account Allocation Methodology
Workgroup Five: Reporting and Verification of Savings
- BPA Role in Verifying Self-funded Savings
- Timing of Utility Reporting to BPA
- Reporting and Consistency of Utility Self-funded Savings
Open meetings will be held at the end of each month between February and April to hear progress reports from each of the workgroups. For more information visit their website.