Regulator Issues Directive To Retail Suppliers On Displaying Minimum Percentage Of Renewable Energy Given New Standard

A Massachusetts DPU hearing officer issued an email to retail suppliers concerning the display of the the minimum percentage of renewable energy resources that electric supply products must include, given the implementation of the new Clean Energy Standard for Clean Existing Generation Units standard

The hearing officer noted that, "The Department requires electric competitive suppliers to identify on their Contract Summary Forms the minimum percentage of renewable energy resource that electric supply products must include. D.P.U. 19-07-B at 43-45. In 2020, the minimum requirement is 27 percent (rounded to the nearest whole number), composed of: (1) 20 percent for the Clean Energy Standard (inclusive of RPS Class I) requirement; (2) approximately 3.2 percent for the RPS Class II Renewable Energy requirement; and (3) 3.5 percent for the RPS Class II Waste-to-Energy requirement (the 27 percent includes neither the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard requirement nor the Clean Peak Energy Portfolio Standard requirement). D.P.U. 19-07-B at 45, fn.20, citing to 225 CMR 14.07, 225 CMR 15.07, and 310 CMR 7.75(4)."

The hearing officer further noted that, "Beginning January 1, 2021, the Commonwealth requires electric competitive suppliers to include a new category of energy resources in their supply products – Clean Energy Standard for Clean Existing Generation Units. 310 CMR 7.75(4)(b). Accounting for this new resource category, and increases in the requirements for the existing categories, the minimum requirement that competitive suppliers should identify on the Contract Summary Forms provided to consumers as of January 1, 2021 is 49 percent (again, rounded to the nearest whole number), composed of (1) 22 percent for the Clean Energy Standard (inclusive of RPS Class I) requirement, (2) 20 percent for the Clean Energy Standard for Clean Existing Generation Units requirement, (3) approximately 3.6 percent for the RPS Class II Renewable Energy requirement, and (4) 3.5 percent for the RPS Class II Waste-to-Energy requirement. 225 CMR 14.07, 225 CMR 15.07, and 310 CMR 7.75(4)."

"As a final matter, the Department notes that, through the D.P.U. 19-07 stakeholder process, we are exploring ways to optimize the usefulness of the clean/renewable energy information provided to consumers through the Contract Summary Form. November 19 2020 Hearing Officer Memorandum at 11-13. The Department will address issues associated with the presentation of the minimum requirement through the D.P.U. 19-07 stakeholder process," the hearing officer noted