REA Energy Efficiency Bill Gets Committee Nod

The House Transportation & Energy Committee approved Tuesday a bill that will require the state's rural electric cooperatives to set aside money for energy efficiency programs.

HB 1107, sponsored by Rep. Claire Levy, D-Boulder, would force the cooperatives to set aside a portion of their revenues for the purpose of helping their customers conserve energy.

The bill provides that the set-aside is not required in any year in which the revenues earned by a cooperative decline from the previous year. It applies only to cooperatives that serve at least 5,000 customers.

The amount of revenue required to be devoted to energy efficiency promotion is one percent in 2009 and two percent in subsequent years. Expenses that would be considered related to promotion of energy efficiency would include program planning, administration, marketing, technical assistance, consumer education, rebates and other financial incentives and evaluation costs related to program design and implementation.

All five Republicans on the committee opposed the bill, while all Democrats supported it.

The bill now goes to the House Appropriations Committee.