Energy Efficiency Resource Standard

Summary

Current Requirements

H.B. 1227 of 2017 extended electric utility energy efficiency programs through 2028, requiring the Colorado Public Utilities Commission (COPUC) to set goals of at least 5% peak demand reduction and 5% energy savings by 2028 for demand-side management programs implemented during 2019 through 2028 compared to a 2018 baseline. In addition, there is a required reduction of peak demand of 5% of the retail system peak in 2006. COPUC ruled in Proceeding No. 17A-0462EG that Xcel Energy's goal for annual energy savings for 2019-2023 be 500 GWh.

HB 1238 of 2021, strengthens natural gas efficiency programs, directing COPUC to set savings targets for gas utility DSM plans based upon the maximum cost-effective and achievable level of savings.

In January 2022 a settlement was reached on Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association's 2020 Electric Resource Plan. The settlement sets energy efficiency savings targets for the electric co-op, with goals to reduce system load at least 0.35% in 2023, 0.5% by 2024, 0.75% by 2025, and 1% by 2030.

Origin

The Colorado legislature enacted H.B. 1037 in 2007, requiring electricity and natural gas investor-owned utilities (IOUs) to engage in demand response and adopt demand-side management (DSM) programs that provide financial incentives for customers to purchase more efficient equipment and use more efficient processes. The law requires these utilities to meet minimum energy and demand savings goals but authorized the Colorado Public Utilities Commission (COPUC) to revise the goals and establish interim savings goals as it deems appropriate.

Electricity Savings Targets (in Gigawatt-Hours (GWh))

COPUC adopted electricity savings goals of 5% of the utility's 2006 peak demand and electricity sales by 2018 for Colorado’s investor-owned electric utilities, Public Service Company of Colorado (d/b/a Xcel Energy) and Colorado Electric Utility Company (d/b/a  Black Hills Energy). COPUC set an efficiency target to account for half of the expected increase in demand every year, which meets the goals established by the Colorado legislature. While the statutory goals end in 2018, COPUC extended electricity sales reduction goals through 2020.

The goals established for Xcel Energy in March 2011 were higher than the original goals, beginning with a 1.14% annual reduction in 2012 and increasing each year to a 1.68% annual reduction in 2020. In 2014, the energy saving goals for 2015-2020 were decreased from 2,914 gigawatt-hours (GWh) to 2,400 GWh over the 6-year period, or 400 GWh per year. COPUC reviews programs annually through filings made by each utility as required by the law. The goals established for Black Hills Energy for 2012-2015 in 2012 were similarly larger than the original goals and surpass the statutory goal of a 5% reduction of 2006 electricity sales by 2018. Although Black Hills Energy had already met that statutory goal by 2015, a settlement agreement approved by COPUC established new goals for 2016-2018 that achieve approximately 10% in energy savings over the plan period.

Demand Reduction Targets (in Megawatts (MW))

COPUC also established demand response goals for Xcel Energy and Black Hills Energy for the following amounts, inclusive of a 65 MW annual reduction from energy efficiency, which are shown in the “Demand Reduction Goals” section below.

H.B. 1037 required the PUC to undertake a rule-making proceeding that would develop expenditure and savings goals, determine cost recovery, and create a financial bonus structure. The law also established that gas utilities must spend at least 0.5% of their previous year’s revenue on DSM programs each year. The law prevents the PUC from assigning financial penalties to gas utilities that fail to meet their energy savings goals but requires utilities to submit annual reports to the PUC. The reports must highlight their program spending, energy savings, and the cost effectiveness of their programs from the previous year. Thus, Colorado does not have required targets for natural gas savings through their programs.

Program Administrator Type

Colorado's investor-owned utilities directly administer the energy efficiency and demand-side management programs intended to meet the standard.

Cost Effectiveness and Program Evaluation

To evaluate the cost effectiveness of its efficiency and demand reduction activities, Colorado utilizes a modified version of the Total Resource Cost test (MTRC) as its primary test for measuring the cost-effectiveness of energy efficiency programs.

While the TRC, one of the five "California tests" from the California Standard Practice Manual, traditionally only values the “monetized” non-energy benefits (i.e. benefits that can be valued directly based on a transparent, agreed-upon price), Colorado’s MTRC includes a 5% “non-energy benefits adder” for gas programs, and 10% for electric programs. In this way, including non-energy benefits in the MTRC is similar to the Societal Cost Test (SCT), which values all costs and benefits associated with DSM programs from the perspective of society as a whole. To judge cost-effectiveness of its natural gas programs, COPUC uses the SCT, and uses a 25% non-energy benefits adder.

Colorado does not specify any other tests on a secondary basis in evaluating electric energy efficiency and DSM programs. 

Utility Cost Recovery Provisions (for Investor-Owned Utilities)

While Colorado’s electric IOUs do not have full revenue decoupling, COPUC has allowed them to collect a fixed “disincentive offset” payment plus a performance incentive relative to achieving certain percentages of its annual targets to manage the lost revenue utilities incur associated with these types of programs. Thus, Colorado’s IOUs receive energy efficiency and DSM performance incentives for both its electric and gas programs.

Special Provisions (Self-Direct Options for Large Customers)

Xcel Energy and Black Hills Energy both offer self-direct options, in which certain customers can use the funds they would pay through the DSMCA to projects of their choosing. 

A commercial and industrial customer program is available to Xcel customers who are otherwise barred from participating in other Xcel energy efficiency and DSM programs. Eligible customers must have an aggregated peak load of at least 2 MW in any particular month and aggregate annual energy consumption of at least 10 GWh (10,000,000 kWh). Commercial and industrial customers of Black Hills Energy can participate in its self-direct program if their load is 1 MW in any particular month and they have aggregate annual energy usage of 5,000 MWh (5,000,000 kWh).  Customers in both programs receive targeted incentives to spend down their self-directed allocation.

*Examples of non-energy benefits can include, for example, the health or economic development benefits associated with reduced greenhouse gas emissions, or with increased economic development associated with utility bill savings to customers. For a more detailed discussion of non-energy benefits and how they interface with the traditional “California tests” for cost effectiveness, click here.

^Xcel Energy also agreed to 285 MW in demand reduction from programs in which third parties can aggregate demand response impacts.