BPA and the Sixth Power Plan
The Northwest Power and Conservation Council (the Council) adopted the Sixth Power Plan in February 2010. Many of the changes associated with the Sixth plan have implications for energy efficiency program offerings. Because energy efficiency targets in the Sixth Power Plan more than doubled from those called for in the Fifth Power Plan, BPA is working with utilities and regional stakeholders to minimize operational disruption related to the transition between plans.
Demand Side Management (DSM) supply curves from the Council suggest that certain measures that were previously not considered cost-effective may now pass total resource cost tests. This will have the effect of expanding the number of qualifying measures that BPA will need to consider for utility reimbursement. The Sixth plan excludes some current measures, such as lower-efficiency appliance measures, which may impact some current BPA reimbursement levels in multiple sectors. And several technologies that included in the plan will require research prior to approval by the Regional Technical Forum (RTF).
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Changes to the Planning, Tracking and Reporting (PTR) system
BBecause the RTF, not BPA, determines the final measure set included in the PTR, the following tentative schedule following adoption of the plan is provided, with the understanding that dates may change.
For current measures in the PTR system:
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The RTF reviews the measures and updates for cost effectiveness based on new assumptions and inputs from the Sixth Power Plan. Utilities provide feedback through the established RTF process. (January 2010 - April 2010)
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ยข BPA reviews and assigns reimbursement levels for the new measure set, updates specifications and requirements and uploads into the PTR system. If there is a reduction in reimbursement levels because savings or incremental cost assumptions have been reduced by the RTF, six-months notification will be provided to customers, which will become effective in the October 2010 Implementation Manual. Measures excluded from the regional target under the Sixth Power Plan (such as some lower- efficiency appliances) will also receive six month negative change notices and be removed October 1, 2010.
For new measures included in the Sixth Power Plan:
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The RTF processes to verify cost effectiveness and approve savings for new measures could require substantial time, such as months or even years.
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Based on review and research, the RTF will deem savings and incremental cost values.
As measures become available from the RTF, BPA will determine reimbursement levels and upload into the PTR system.
For more information on the RTF process, see the
RTF Charter.
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What BPA is pursuing to achieve increased targets
BPA program marketing and program staff are actively pursuing new strategies to help achieve energy efficiency targets. See what each sector is planning:
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