NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF STATE UTILITY CONSUMER ADVOCATES
RESOLUTION
Urging That Any Congressional Legislation Requiring A Renewables
Portfolio Standard Apply To New Renewable Energy Resources,
And Not Reward Owners of Existing Renewable Resources
WHEREAS, Several bills have been introduced in the United States Congress that will allow generators of electricity to compete to serve end-users of electricity;
WHEREAS, some of these bills would create a portfolio standard in which a certain percentage of generating plant would be required to be based on renewable energy resources;
WHEREAS, there is currently a debate about whether the portfolio of renewable resources should be calculated as a ratio of all renewable facilities in the U.S. to all U.S. electric generating facilities or as a ratio of new renewable resources to all resources;
WHEREAS, NASUCA has stated its support for the development of cost-effective renewable resources, including wind, geothermal, solar, and biomass resources, as key elements in meeting the Nation’s future energy needs;
WHEREAS, requiring a percentage of all facilities to be comprised of renewable resources would include existing renewables to qualify as meeting the portfolio standard;
WHEREAS, existing renewables are reflected in utility rates today, and/or are part of contracts entered into under PURPA Section 210 which are preserved under all pending federal legislation addressing renewable energy;
WHEREAS, requiring a percentage of all generating facilities to be comprised of new renewable resources may do more to foster the continued development of renewables than would language permitting the inclusion of existing renewables to qualify for the portfolio standard;
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that, should Congressional legislation be passed that mandates a renewables portfolio standard, NASUCA urges such a standard apply to new renewable resources added after such legislation is enacted and not reward the owners of existing renewable resources;
THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that NASUCA authorizes its Executive Committee to develop specific positions and to take appropriate actions consistent with the terms of this resolution. The Executive Committee shall notify the membership of any action taken pursuant to this resolution.
Approved by NASUCA:
Charleston, South Carolina
Place
June 11, 1997
Date
Submitted by:
NASUCA Electricity Committee
Larry Frimerman (OH), Chair
Rajnish Barua (DE)
Anne Becker (IN)
Barry Cohen (OH)
Nancy Vaughn Coombs (SC)
Steve Corneli (MN)
Anne Curtin (NY)
George Dean (MA)
Jennifer Duane (DC)
William Fields (MD)
Margaret Force (NC)
Walker Hendrix (KS)
Bruce Johnson (CT)
Robert Kelter (IL)
Lewis Mills (MO)
Thomas Nicholson (VA)
Charles Noble (NM)
Gerry Norlander (NY)
Mark Payne (NC)
William Perkins (ME)
Blossom Peretz (NJ)
Irwin Popowsky (PA)
Fred Schmidt (NV)
Lynda Spears (IN)
Ben Stead (IA)
Kenneth Traum (NH)