The Register-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia

Local News

January 27, 2012

Energy efficiency group working for measure to lower utility bills

By Wendy Holdren Register-Herald Reporter

As energy costs have continued to rise, a group called Energy Efficient West Virginia has formed to help residents and small businesses lower their utility bills.

EEWV Researcher Cathy Kunkel says this coalition effort was started about a year and a half ago, and has already seen successes.

The coalition consists of consumer groups, environmental groups and small businesses that are engaged in energy efficiency at work.

Kunkel says EEWV works with the Public Service Commission and the legislature to promote state policies that support energy efficiency.

Thanks to their efforts, Appalachian Power now offers incentives for energy efficient customers.

Kunkel says this began in 2009, when customers were facing 43 percent rate increases.

“We urged the Public Service Commission to provide opportunities for customers to lower their bills if rates were going to go up that much.”

In the recently released state energy efficiency scorecard from the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy, West Virginia ranked 44th.

In effort to become more a more energy efficient state, Kunkel says the EEWV is focusing on two bills, Least Cost Planning (LCP) and Energy Efficient Resource Standards (EERS).

LCP, Senate Bill 162, will require utilities to submit long-term planning to ensure they are making investment decisions that will provide the lowest cost of service to customers.

“We think that is going to spur more investment in energy efficiency because it’s a lot cheaper to invest money in saving energy than it is to say, build a new power plant,” Kunkel said. “Investing in energy efficiency is a way to keep rates lower over the long term.”

The other bill, EERS, has not been introduced in committee but will be soon. The bill would set a timeline for achieving energy efficiency and demand response goals. The programs could be administered by utility companies or the legislature could set up a third party agency. EEWV wants a standard that would require a savings of 15 percent on electricity by 2025.

Kunkel says in Ohio and Pennsylvania, states where our utilities also operate, EERS is already in place.

“It’s just a matter of making sure the same savings opportunities are available to their West Virginia customers.”

For those interested in lobbying for energy efficiency, contact Molly at molly.eewv@gmail.com. The group will be lobbying in the rotunda at the capitol Feb. 8 at 1 p.m.

“For residents and businesses, we can expect that rates are going to continue to go up. We’ve seen, especially in our area, Appalachian Power’s residential rates have gone up close to 60 percent in the past few years. Coal prices are still increasing. As people’s rates go up, it makes more and more sense to start being more efficient in how we use electricity.”

For more information, visit eewv.org.

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