Public hearing scheduled for Alaska small power producer rules

The Regulatory Commission of Alaska (RCA) has a public hearing scheduled on January 29 in docket R-13-002, regarding a Petition for Rulemaking from Alaska Environmental Power (AEP).  This docket was opened in October, after AEP requested the RCA make the following changes to the state’s small power producer rules:

• Revise the “avoided cost” definition and methodology to make it consistent with the federal incremental approach
• Define integration costs in a manner that ensures such costs will be just, reasonable, and non-discriminatory and which encourages, rather than hinders, renewable energy production by small and independent power producers
• Revise provisions relating to curtailment to better define and limit the scope of the circumstances under which utilities may curtail power production by qualifying facilities and avoid paying for power from qualifying facilities
• Develop regulations establishing an open bidding process for proposed renewable energy projects, including independent evaluation, objective pre-approved criteria, blind scoring, public review and comment, and other similar features.

Initial comments were due in November and reply comments were due in December. The RCA must make a decision in this proceeding by August 23, 2015.

Laurel Passera

Laurel is a Senior Renewables Analyst for IREC attorneys Keyes, Fox & Wiedman, and engages in research and analysis of net metering and interconnection regulatory trends to support IREC’s outreach and communication efforts. In 2009, Laurel was a Southeast Regional Network fellow for the Southeast Environmental Leadership Program and currently sits on Raleigh City Council’s Environmental Advisory Board.