First Regular Session
Sixty-first General Assembly
LLS NO. 970490.01 BWM
HOUSE BILL 971182
STATE OF COLORADO
BY REPRESENTATIVE Udall
BUSINESS AFFAIRS & LABOR
A BILL FOR AN ACT
CONCERNING INFORMATION FOR ELECTRIC CONSUMERS.
Bill Summary
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced
and does not necessarily reflect any amendments which may be subsequently
adopted.)
Finds that electric customers need more information to make rational choices about their electric use, investments in efficiency, investments in technologies to produce their own power, and other choices. Further finds that in the future such information will be necessary to choose among competing suppliers of power. Declares that to serve current and future needs, suppliers of electric power should disclose to customers the price, resource mix, and environmental characteristics of the power they supply.
Requires periodic disclosures to be made and directs the Colorado public utilities commission to cooperate with governing boards of public and cooperative utilities to develop a standard reporting format. Requires such disclosures to include, at a minimum, price, the fuel resource percentages used to generate electricity sold to customers, water consumption, and pollutants and emissions.
Requires annual evaluation of the costs and benefits
of consumer disclosure and reports to the general assembly on
any recommendations for changes.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:
SECTION 1. Article 4 of title 40, Colorado Revised Statutes, 1993 Repl. Vol., is amended BY THE ADDITION OF A NEW SECTION to read:
404101.5. Electric utility consumer information. (1) THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY HEREBY FINDS, DETERMINES, AND DECLARES THAT ELECTRIC CUSTOMERS REQUIRE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO MAKE INFORMED AND RATIONAL CHOICES ABOUT THEIR ELECTRIC USE AND TO DETERMINE HOW MUCH TO INVEST IN EFFICIENCY OR IN TECHNOLOGIES TO PRODUCE THEIR OWN SUPPLIES OF ELECTRIC POWER, AND TO PROVIDE A BASIS FOR CUSTOMERS TO COMPARE THEIR OTHER OPTIONS SUCH AS GREEN PRICING AND CONTRIBUTION PROGRAMS OFFERED BY UTILITIES. THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY FURTHER FINDS AND DETERMINES THAT SUCH CUSTOMERS WILL NEED ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO CHOOSE AMONG COMPETING ELECTRIC SUPPLIERS IN THE FUTURE. THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, THEREFORE, DECLARES THAT IN ORDER TO SERVE CURRENT NEEDS FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO ANTICIPATE FUTURE NEEDS, ELECTRIC UTILITIES AND OTHER ELECTRIC SUPPLIERS SHOULD DISCLOSE TO CUSTOMERS THE PRICE, RESOURCE MIX, AND ENVIRONMENTAL CHARACTERISTICS OF ELECTRIC POWER SUCH UTILITIES AND OTHER SUPPLIERS MAKE AVAILABLE.
(2) ALL SELLERS AT RETAIL OF ELECTRICITY SHALL PERIODICALLY DISCLOSE THE PRICE, RESOURCE MIX, AND KEY ENVIRONMENTAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THEIR ELECTRICITY TO CUSTOMERS BASED ON CURRENT INFORMATION. THE COMMISSION, FOR PUBLIC UTILITIES IT REGULATES, AND IN COOPERATION WITH THE GOVERNING BOARDS OF PUBLIC AND COOPERATIVE UTILITIES FOR THE UTILITIES THEY OVERSEE, SHALL DETERMINE THE FREQUENCY OF THE DISCLOSURES REQUIRED BY THIS SUBSECTION (2) AND SHALL DEVELOP A STANDARD, SIMPLE, AND UNDERSTANDABLE REPORTING FORMAT FOR DISCLOSURE TO CUSTOMERS. DISCLOSURES SHALL INCLUDE, AT A MINIMUM, PRICE; THE FUEL RESOURCE PERCENTAGES USED TO GENERATE ELECTRICITY SOLD TO CUSTOMERS; WATER CONSUMPTION AND POLLUTANTS AND EMISSIONS RESULTING FROM GENERATION, INCLUDING CRITERIA POLLUTANTS (NITROGEN OXIDE, SULPHUR DIOXIDE, CARBON MONOXIDE, PARTICULATES, LEAD, AND VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS); HAZARDOUS AIR POLLUTANTS; AND CARBON DIOXIDE.
(3) THE COMMISSION, IN COOPERATION WITH THE ENTITIES OVERSEEING PUBLIC AND COOPERATIVE UTILITIES, SHALL ANNUALLY REVIEW AND ANALYZE THE COSTS AND BENEFITS OF CONSUMER DISCLOSURE REQUIRED BY THIS SECTION AND SHALL SUBMIT A REPORT TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY WITH ANY NECESSARY RECOMMENDATIONS.
SECTION 2. Safety clause. The general assembly hereby finds, determines, and declares that this act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, and safety.