SB 376: The Missouri Energy Efficiency Investment Act
Renew Missouri's "Cradle to Grave" Approach
We work through the arduous task of implementation and enforcement after a policy is passed into law. This “cradle to grave” approach of advocacy has made Renew Missouri a well-respected and influential voice in Missouri among policy-makers, regulators, enforcers, and utilities.
In 2009, the Missouri General Assembly passed Senate Bill 376, The Missouri Energy Efficiency Investment Act with the support of both parties, consumer advocates, environmental groups, and investor-owned utilities. It is a monumental piece of legislation that paves the way for advances in utility-designed energy efficiency programs. The law will reduce our State's reliance on coal, increase investment into energy efficiency, and decrease Missourian’s energy bills over time.
Implementing utility law is complicated process, Renew Missouri and numerous stakeholders have been working within the Public Service Commission to negotiate the law’s final rules for over a year. The PSC recently released its draft rules, and Renew Missouri is pleased with them thus far. The Public Service Commission’s draft rules remove a number of financial disincentives for utilities to invest in efficiency, as opposed to other resources. Under current rate making policy, utilities are penalized financially when their sales decline through energy efficiency and the rule will attempt to eliminate this penalty.
Renew Missouri and other energy efficiency advocates are also pleased the Public Service Commission has included utility energy efficiency targets into the rules. Holding utilities accountable to efficiency goals is effective saving rate-payers money on their electricity bills in states like Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois. A 2010 study released by Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (MEEA) found that Missourians could save $4.3 billion on their electricity bills over the next 12 years through such energy efficiency targets.
Next, the PSC begins the last and final step in the process -- formal rule making. The Formal Hearing was held on December 20, 2010 and Renew Missouri organized a coalition of like-minded stakeholders to provide comments.
The Final Rules for will be finalized and issued in early Spring 2011 and we are hopeful they will strongly advance energy efficiency in Missouri.
Ameren Missouri 2015
The proposal represents a decrease of roughly $12 million in Ameren's current energy efficiency investment, and would strive to capture only about half as much savings as Ameren's current 3-year plan, which covers 2013-2015. The new proposal would also discontinue 3 residential programs: Ameren's refrigerator recycling, new homes, and home energy performance programs.
Why do we need SB 376?
While being overly-reliant on coal, Missouri ranks near last in the country on energy efficiency. Renew Missouri is working to increase utility investment in energy efficiency to reduce the demand for coal, keep electric rates stable, and decrease the adverse environmental and health effects of Missouri's energy generation.