Section 480-109-100. Energy efficiency resource standard.

(1) Process for pursuing all conservation.

(a) Process. A utility's obligation to pursue all available conservation that is cost-effective, reliable, and feasible includes the following process:

(i) Identify potential. Identify the cost-effective, reliable, and feasible potential of possible technologies and conservation measures in the utility's service territory.

(ii) Develop portfolio. Develop a conservation portfolio that includes all available, cost-effective, reliable, and feasible conservation. A utility must develop programs to acquire available conservation from all of the types of conservation identified in (b) of this subsection. If no cost-effective, reliable and feasible conservation is available from one of the types of conservation, a utility is not obligated to acquire such a resource.

(iii) Implement programs. Implement conservation programs identified in the portfolio to the extent the portfolio remains cost-effective, reliable, and feasible. Implementation methods shall not unnecessarily limit the acquisition of all available conservation that is cost-effective, reliable and feasible.

(iv) Adaptively manage. Continuously review and update as appropriate the conservation portfolio to adapt to changing market conditions and developing technologies. A utility must research emerging conservation technologies, and assess the potential of such technologies for implementation in its service territory.

(b) Types. Types of conservation include, but are not limited to:

(i) End-use efficiency;

(ii) Behavioral programs;

(iii) High-efficiency cogeneration;

(iv) Production efficiency;

(v) Distribution efficiency; and

(vi) Market transformation.

(c) Pilots. A utility must implement pilot projects when appropriate and expected to produce cost-effective savings within the current or immediately subsequent biennium, as long as the overall portfolio remains cost-effective.

(2) Ten-year conservation potential. By January 1, 2010, and every two years thereafter, a utility must project its cumulative ten-year conservation potential.

(a) This projection must consider all available conservation resources that are cost-effective, reliable, and feasible.

(b) This projection must be derived from the utility's most recent IRP, including any information learned in its subsequent resource acquisition process, or the utility must document the reasons for any differences. When developing this projection, utilities must use methodologies that are consistent with those used in the Northwest Conservation and Electric Power Plan.

(c) The projection must include a list of each measure used in the potential, its unit energy savings value, and the source of that value.

(3) Biennial conservation target. Beginning January 2010, and every two years thereafter, a utility must establish a biennial conservation target.

(a) The biennial conservation target must identify, and quantify in megawatt-hours, all available conservation that is cost-effective, reliable, and feasible.

(b) The biennial conservation target must be no lower than a pro rata share of the utility's ten-year conservation potential.

(c) Excess conservation. No more than twenty-five percent of any biennial target may be met with excess conservation savings allowed by this subsection. Excess conservation may only be used to mitigate shortfalls in the immediately subsequent two biennia and may not be used to adjust a utility's ten-year conservation potential or biennial target. The presence of excess conservation does not relieve a utility of its obligation to pursue the level of conservation in its biennial target.

(i) Cost-effective conservation achieved in excess of a biennial conservation target may be used to meet up to twenty percent of each of the immediately subsequent two biennial targets.

(ii) A utility may use single large facility conservation savings achieved in excess of its biennial target to meet up to five percent of each of the immediately subsequent two biennial conservation targets.

(iii) Until December 31, 2017, a utility with an industrial facility located in a county with a population between ninety-five thousand and one hundred fifteen thousand that is directly interconnected with electricity facilities that are capable of carrying electricity at transmission voltage, may use cost-effective excess conservation savings from that industrial facility to meet the subsequent two biennial conservation targets. For purposes of this subsection, transmission voltage is one hundred thousand volts or higher.

(4) Prudence. A utility retains the responsibility to demonstrate the prudence of all conservation expenditures, consistent with RCW 19.285.050(2).

(5) Energy savings. A utility must use unit energy savings values and standard protocols approved by the regional technical forum, unless a unit energy savings value or standard protocol is:

(a) Based on generally accepted methods, impact evaluation data, or other reliable and relevant data that includes verified savings levels; and

(b) Presented to its advisory group for review. The commission retains discretion to determine an appropriate value or protocol.

(6) High efficiency cogeneration. A utility may count as conservation savings a portion of the electricity output of a high efficiency cogeneration facility in its service territory that is owned by a retail electric customer and used by that customer to meet its heat and electricity needs. Heat and electricity output provided to anyone other than the facility owner is not available for consideration in determining conservation savings. High efficiency cogeneration savings must be certified by a professional engineer licensed by the Washington department of licensing.

(7) Applicable sectors. A utility must offer a mix of conservation programs to ensure it is serving each customer sector, including programs targeted to the low-income subset of residential customers.

(8) Cost-effectiveness. A utility's conservation portfolio must pass a cost-effectiveness test consistent with that used in the Northwest Conservation and Electric Power Plan. A utility must evaluate conservation using cost-effectiveness tests consistent with those used by the council, and as required by the commission, except as provided by subsection (10) of this section.

(9) Utility incentives. A utility may propose to the commission positive incentives designed to stimulate the utility to exceed its biennial conservation target as identified in RCW 19.285.060(4). Any proposed utility incentive must be included in the utility's biennial conservation plan.

(10) Low-income conservation.

(a) A utility may fully fund low-income conservation measures that are determined by the implementing agency to be cost-effective consistent with the Weatherization Manual maintained by the department. Measures identified through the priority list in the Weatherization Manual are considered cost-effective. In addition, a utility may fully fund repairs, administrative costs, and health and safety improvements associated with cost-effective low-income conservation measures.

(b) A utility may exclude low-income conservation from portfolio-level cost-effectiveness calculations.

(c) A utility must count savings from low-income conservation toward meeting its biennial conservation target. Savings may be those calculated consistent with the procedures in the Weatherization Manual.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 80.01.040, 80.04.160, and 19.285.080. WSR 15-07-043 (Docket UE-131723, General Order R-578), § 480-109-100, filed 3/12/15, effective 4/12/15.]

RCW 80.01.040, 80.04.160, and 19.285.080. WSR 15-07-043 (Docket UE-131723, General Order R-578), § 480-109-100, filed 3/12/15, effective 4/12/15.