Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA): NOTICE OF HEARING ON NEW FEDERAL ENERGY STANDARDS
Member Workshop and Notice of Member Input Request and Hearing on New Federal Energy Standards
Opportunities to participate, learn more and provide input:
Demand Response and Electric Vehicle Workshop
April 25, 2023 @ 1 p.m., Pioneer Electric’s Urbana Office
Pioneer will hold a workshop for consumer-members to discuss and learn more about demand-response and EV charging standards and what Pioneer is already doing in those areas. Please call 937-381-0631 to RSVP.
May 14, 2023: Deadline for Written Comments
This is the deadline for members to submit input in the form of written comments via online form, by emailing member@pioneerec.com, or by mail.
Board of Trustees Hearing
May 25, 2023
Pioneer’s Board of Trustees will conduct its hearing on May 25, 2023. The hearing will be based on the written comments and prior member input.
Pioneer Electric Cooperative is seeking member participation and input regarding Demand-Response (DR) Standards and Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Standards as part of new requirements contained in the Federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, which amended Title I of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA). Some non-regulated electric utilities, such as cooperatives, are required to consider implementation of these standards.
The amendment to PURPA requires Pioneer to request member input and hold a hearing on DR and EV standards before November 15, 2023.
View PURPA 111(d) Standards to Consider
By that date, the Pioneer Board of Trustees will determine whether it is appropriate to implement the DR and/or EV standards to carry out the purposes for which PURPA was enacted. Those purposes are to encourage (1) the conservation of energy supplied by electric utilities; (2) the optimization of the efficiency of use of facilities and resources by electric utilities; and (3) equitable rates to electric customers. (See 16 U.S.C. § 2611.)
After consideration of Pioneer’s DR and EV programs already in place, the Pioneer Board may decline or accept implementation of PURPA’s DR and/or EV standards, in whichever case, Pioneer will provide a statement of its decision to the public.
Pioneer’s Current DR and EV Charging Programs
DR and EV charging programs provide financial and environmental benefits to the Pioneer membership when members reduce or shift energy use during times of high demand. EVs, a growing trend, are vehicles powered by electricity, generally provided by a battery, which will be charged using Pioneer’s distribution system.
At Pioneer, we offer programs and services to meet the ever-changing needs of our members, increase energy efficiency, and expand beneficial electrification to enhance the lives of those we serve. Learn more about the demand-response and EV charging programs Pioneer, in conjunction with Buckeye Power, is already offering below.
Demand Response
- Load Management: A long-standing program of water heater and air conditioning controls with signals and direct load control provided by Buckeye, example: active load management through Buckeye Power. This program includes rebates to members who install the load management switches on their water heaters or air conditioners.
- Pioneer has not opted in (under FERC Order 719) to allow retail demand response to participate directly in PJM demand response market because Buckeye and its members have a long-standing, active load management program that works well and would be disrupted by direct participation of retail demand response in the PJM markets.
- The A-Rate demand-response rider allows retail members to participate in PJM demand response programs through Buckeye and the cooperative (rather than directly in the PJM market by the member).
- Load control signals provided by Buckeye can also be used by retail consumers to voluntarily control their peaks and take advantage of retail rates with demand charges to the extent the member is on a rate with demand charges. Each cooperative could consider greater use of demand charges for its retail consumers to send price signals that would incentivize reducing peak demand.
- Pioneer, in conjunction with Buckeye Power, also has various energy efficiency rebate programs which, while not demand response per se, do help to reduce demand. Some of these rebate programs include geothermal, heat pumps and insulation, among others.
Electric Vehicles
- Buckeye A-Rate Schedule provides for exemption from 12X5 demand charges at night to incentivize EV charging at night and during off-peak hours.
- Pioneer, in conjunction with Buckeye Power, provides a rebate to its members who install level 2 EV chargers.
After the hearing (but no later than November 15, 2023), the Pioneer Board of Trustees will determine whether it is appropriate to implement DR and EV standards that are contained in the federal Infrastructure Investment Act of 2021.
The Pioneer Board of Trustees’ decision will be available to the public at www.pioneerec.com on or before November 15, 2023.
