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American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009

ARRA

PUC American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Resources

The Public Utilities Commission has received $783, 538 from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, State Electricity Regulators Assistance Program.

The objectives of this ARRA funded program are to:  1) increase the capacity of state PUCs to manage a significant increase in dockets and other regulatory actions resulting from ARRA electricity-related topical areas; 2) facilitate timely consideration by PUCs of regulatory actions pertaining to ARRA electricity-related topical areas; and 3) create jobs.

SUSTAINABLE ENERGY

I.  Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency programs

  • Develop program guidelines and application form for residential solar hot water rebate program.
  • Gather stakeholder input from public comment sessions regarding solar hot water and other programs to be developed, including commercial scale electrical and thermal renewable energy rebates.
  • Develop budgets for new rebate programs.
  • Develop guidelines and application forms for new rebate programs.
  • Present recommendations to state Energy Efficiency and Sustainable Energy Board.
  • Assist in review of technical aspects of grant proposals submitted in response to RGGI Request for Proposals.  Review projected energy and emissions savings.
  • Assist in development of training programs for installers and/or certification programs.
  • Prepare relevant portions of annual RPS compliance report.

II.  Energy Efficiency and Sustainable Energy Board

  • EESE Board meetings.
  • Conduct research as requested.
  • Analyze policy issues.
  • Provide policy recommendations.

III.  Appliance Efficiency Standards

  • Review relevant state legislation.
  • Determine scope of standards required by state law and identify which standards are pre-empted by federal law.
  • Contact and work with Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnership, DOE, state stakeholders to develop draft standards.
  • Draft proposed administrative rules.
  • Develop process for public comment.

 

ELECTRIC GRID TECHNOLOGIES

I.  Modernizing the electric grid

  • Review relevant federal and state legislation.
  • Conduct research regarding technologies and techniques available to implement smart grid, advanced metering infrastructure, demand response, cyber security and distributed generation.
  • Meet with electric utilities to discuss current plans and status of smart metering/smart grid initiatives and pilot proposals.
  • Attend seminars regarding existing and emerging technologies for modernizing the electric grid.
  • Attend local and regional meetings.
  • Through research and seminars, develop understanding of how utilities’ investments in electric grid technologies will impact regional and local electric rates.

II.  Technical requirements

  • Review specific plans and applications filed by electric utilities.
  • Analyze impact of utilities’ proposals on electric rates and reliability.
  • Conduct additional research as necessary.
  • Analyze policy issues.
  • Develop documents and presentation materials as needed.
  • Present recommendations to the Director and Assistant Director of the Electric Division as well as the Commissioners of the Public Utilities Commission.

 

REGIONAL ENERGY

I. Regional Energy Markets

  • Review proposed transmission projects, analyze issues regarding regional transmission constraints, and make recommendations for Commission action.
  • Monitor regional and wholesale electricity market and provide analytical and technical support to the Commission.
  • Analyses/recommendations regarding market conditions, rate structures and policies concerning the regulation of public utilities.
  • Participate in Eastern Interconnection States Planning Collaborative.

II. ISO-NE/NEPOOL Committees

  • Participate in the development of a price responsive demand program for the ISO-NE.
  • Participate in ISO-NE’s Power Supply Planning Committee, Reliability Committee, Transmission Committee and Ma Markets Committee.  

III. Forward Capacity Market

  • Provide analytical and technical support for the Commission.
  • Analyze policy issues
  • Assess impacts on New Hampshire electric ratepayers; recommendations for Commission action.
  • Collaborate with the other New England stakeholders to make market improvements.

 

 

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