The gas utilities’ multi-year DSM plans should enable the delivery of results in the areas which have been identified as key priorities in the LTEP, Conservation Directive and by the Board (Section 4.2). It is important that the gas utilities’ multi-year DSM plans focus on activities that will achieve a greater amount of long-term natural gas savings, better help participating customers manage their overall usage and ultimately their bills, and consider the guiding principles (Section 2).
The Board is of the view that rate funded DSM programs for large volume customers should not be mandated. If a gas utility, in consultation with its large volume customers, determines that there is substantial interest in the gas utility providing expertise and a value-added service to help improve the energy efficiency levels of these customers’ facilities, the gas utilities are able to propose a fee-for-service program which the Board will approve on its merits. The primary focus of any program proposed for large volume customers should be offering technical expertise, including conducting facility audits, advice for operational improvements, or engineering studies as opposed to capital incentives. Specifically, the gas utilities can propose a fee-for-service DSM programs to the customers in rate classes identified as large volume rate classes (EGD: Rate 125; Union: Rate T1, Rate T2, Rate 100). Under this type of program, ratepayer funding will only be used to provide recovery for administrative related costs (e.g., utility staff, overheads, evaluation, etc.) and any shareholder incentive amounts earned. Any additional energy efficiency consulting services, audit reports and capital investments must be