Lawmakers press department on resource adequacy, dual-fuel generators and implications of a clean energy standard Committee members pressed the Department of Public Service on regional resource adequacy, the possibility of reintroducing oil capability at gas plants, and how a proposed clean energy standard might change utilities' REC obligations and near-term rate pressure.

Lawmakers in Vermont are diving deep into the implications of dual-fuel generators and the proposed clean energy standard, questioning how these changes could impact utility costs and resource adequacy.

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Utilities tell Vermont committee net‑metering is concentrated in higher‑income towns and is driving rate pressure At a Feb. 13 House Energy & Digital Infrastructure hearing on H 07/16, Vermont utilities told lawmakers net‑metering payments exceed the measured value of exported energy and shift costs to other customers; utilities urged keeping rate-setting with the Public Utility Commission and supplied data requests for follow-up.

Vermont utilities reveal that the current net-metering system benefits wealthy customers while putting financial pressure on those without rooftop solar, sparking a heated debate in the House Energy committee.

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Utilities tell committee disconnections have fallen since 2019; co-ops urge targeted assistance over blunt metrics Utilities and cooperatives told the House committee that annual disconnect events fell from about 10,000 (pre-pandemic) to roughly 8,000; witnesses described notification processes, the timing of disconnect windows, Green Mountain Power's EAP program details (25% discount, eligibility at 185% FPL, up to two arrearage-forgiveness events), and cautioned about unintended consequences of rigid regulatory metrics.

Disconnects have decreased significantly since 2019, but experts warn that rigid metrics may harm vulnerable customers—are targeted assistance programs the key to sustainable support?

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Utilities tell committee most customers accept AMI; opt-outs are rare but raise manual‑read and cost questions Electric utilities and municipal representatives described advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) deployments, low current opt‑out rates and the operational and cost implications of manual reads; utilities said opt‑out cost recovery should be allowable and cybersecurity requirements and PUC oversight apply to vendors.

Utilities reveal that while opt-out requests for advanced metering infrastructure are rare, they could significantly impact operational costs and cybersecurity measures.

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House committee hears testimony on H.753 after uptick in utility disconnections The House Energy and Digital Infrastructure Committee took testimony on H.753, which would create new planning and temporary protections to reduce residential utility disconnections; the Department of Public Service cited a return to pre‑pandemic disconnection levels and urged careful definition of metrics and limited burdens on small water utilities.

Vermont is taking action to combat a shocking 31% rise in residential utility disconnections, pushing for new protections and plans to help families in need.

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Municipal utilities tell House committee disconnects are last resort as H.753 is debated At a House Energy and Digital Infrastructure hearing on H.753, Scott Johnstone, a municipal utility manager, said disconnections are "the very last resort," urged light-touch reporting and inclusion of protections in utilities' integrated resource plans, and raised concerns about price volatility and rigid metrics.

Municipal utility leader Scott Johnstone warns that disconnections are a "last resort," highlighting the financial pressures and price volatility that small utilities face in Vermont.

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Vermont hearing spotlights H.753 to curb utility shutoffs, expand medical protections and require plans to reduce disconnections Witnesses told the House Energy committee that H.753 would expand medical‑certification protections, bar disconnections during extreme heat, and require utilities to file plans to minimize involuntary residential shutoffs. Testimony cited Green Mountain Power data showing high notice and cut‑off rates and urged program and regulatory changes.

Vermont's House Bill H.753 aims to revolutionize utility disconnection protections, especially for the medically vulnerable, during extreme heat events.

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#VT #CivicAccountability #PublicHealth #CitizenPortal #VermontUtilities #EnergyAffordability

Department proposes slower IRP cycle for munis/co‑ops, status reports and tie to streamlined rate increases The Department of Public Service proposed moving municipal and cooperative utilities from a 3‑year to a 5‑year integrated resource plan cycle with an interim status report, adding 'reliability' and 'resilience' to planning criteria, and linking access to a streamlined annual rate increase to having an approved IRP (proposal includes raising the streamlined increase from 3% to 4%).

Vermont's Department of Public Service is shaking up utility planning by proposing a longer cycle for integrated resource plans, potentially impacting rates and reliability—what does this mean for you?

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Green Mountain Power and others keep resiliency and customer programs running while tracking federal changes Despite federal uncertainty and grant pauses, utilities said they are continuing state-backed customer programs, deploying energy storage, advancing storm-hardening and operating virtual power plant resources that help manage peak demand and outage response.

Despite federal uncertainty, Vermont's utilities are powering ahead with innovative programs that save customers millions and enhance energy resilience.

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Vermont utilities warn frozen federal grants, administrative shifts and FEMA delays are slowing projects and raising costs Municipal and cooperative utilities and VEPSA told the House committee that recent federal administrative changes, paused grants and slow FEMA reimbursements are delaying metering, resiliency and storage projects and could require utilities to accelerate or restructure planned work to avoid losing federal funds.

Vermont's utilities are facing a crisis as frozen federal grants and delayed FEMA reimbursements threaten to derail critical energy projects.

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#VT #CitizenPortal #InfrastructureChallenges #VermontUtilities #FederalFunding #EnergyResilience