California Public Utilities Commission Issues Order for Oversight of Energy Efficiency Portfolios, Policies, Programs, and Evaluation

Strategic Insights -

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has initiated a rulemaking process to oversee energy efficiency portfolios, policies, programs, and evaluation. The California Efficiency + Demand Management Council (CEDMC) has submitted reply comments on the order, recommending the prioritization of cost-effectiveness and the inclusion of non-energy benefits in cost-effectiveness evaluations. The CEDMC also supports the California Technical Forum's (Cal TF) energy efficiency priority solutions and tools, which aim to improve energy efficiency outcomes.

Key Takeaways:

  • The CEDMC agrees with multiple parties, including Recurve, Sealed, Southern California Edison Company (SCE), and The Utility Reform Network (TURN), to prioritize cost-effectiveness in the rulemaking process.
  • The CEDMC supports SCE's recommendation to reconsider the Total Resource Cost (TRC) test as the primary metric for evaluating cost-effectiveness.
  • The CEDMC agrees with Sealed about the barriers created by the TRC test, which penalizes high-impact measures that require significant customer investment.
  • The CEDMC supports the inclusion of non-energy benefits (NEBs) in cost-effectiveness evaluations, particularly for their impact on the Resource Acquisition portfolio.
  • The CEDMC recommends the consideration of NEBs in the context of the California Technical Forum's (Cal TF) energy efficiency priority solutions and tools.
  • The CEDMC supports the Commission's consideration of the Council's opening comments and the opportunity to provide reply comments.

Statistics:

  • 25-04-010: The rulemaking number for the CPUC's order to oversee energy efficiency portfolios, policies, programs, and evaluation.
  • April 24, 2025: The date the CPUC filed the order.
  • May 29, 2025: The date the CEDMC submitted its reply comments.
  • 925-785-2878: The telephone number of the CEDMC.
  • policy@cedmc.org: The email address of the CEDMC.

Sources:

  • Before the Public Utilities Commission of the State of California, Order Instituting Rulemaking for Oversight of Energy Efficiency Portfolios, Policies, Programs, and Evaluation. Rulemaking 25-04-010 (Filed April 24, 2025)
  • Reply Comments of the California Efficiency + Demand Management Council on the Order Instituting Rulemaking for Oversight of Energy Efficiency Portfolios, Policies, Programs, and Evaluation. May 29, 2025.