Amendment #105 to H5151

Public Benefit Charges

Mr. Sweezey of Duxbury moves to amend the bill by adding the following section:

"SECTION XXX. (a) For the purposes of this section, “public benefit energy charge” shall mean any charge listed on utility bills as “Public Benefits” to fund programs, including but not limited to: Energy Efficiency Charge, Residential Assistance Charge, Renewable or Clean Energy Programs, Distributed Solar Charge, and Electric Vehicle Charge.

(b) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, for a period of twelve consecutive billing months, beginning on the first full billing cycle following the effective date of this act, no electric distribution company shall assess, collect, or recover any public benefit energy charge from retail electric customers.

(c) The DPU shall not defer, track or otherwise record forgone public benefit charge revenue resulting from this suspension for future recovery. The DPU shall not authorize or permit the recovery of any forgone revenues resulting from the suspension established in section 2 through any means, including but not limited to: subsequent rate increases, reconciliation mechanisms, surcharges, interest charges and adjustment factors.

Nothing in this section shall be construed to require modification of any program funded by public benefit charge during this suspended period. Program administrators shall adjust expenditures as necessary to comply with the suspended collection under this section."

Additional co-sponsor(s) added to Amendment #105 to H5151

Public Benefit Charges