Sincerely,
j.b. Van hollen
Attorney General
__________________
State of Wisconsin
Public Service Commission
December 30, 2008
The Honorable, The Legislature:
Enclosed please find the statutory proposal of the Public Service Commission for equitably allocating the costs of the Focus on Energy program among energy utility customers. 2005 Wis Act. 141 established an initial approach for allocating these costs, but directed the Commission to propose an alternative, as provided in Wis. Stat. 196.374(5)(bm)1.
On June 13, 2008, the Commission opened a proceeding (docket 05-UI-113) as required by this law. The Commission identified issues and solicited comments from interested parties. At its open meeting on December 18, 2008, the Commission deliberated on these comments and unanimously agreed on an equitable means of allocating costs among energy utility customers. The Commission's proposal, which accompanies this letter and which is being sent by separate cover to the Governor, complies with Wis. Stat. 196.374(5)(bm)1.
Under Wis. Stat. 196.374(3)(b)2., each energy utility must spend 1.2 percent of its annual operating revenues to fund the statewide energy efficiency and renewable resource programs that
2005 Wis. Act 141 mandates. Previously, the amounts that energy utilities and their customers paid for these programs varied widely. In 2005, before the enactment of
2005 Wis. Act 141, paid for these programs varied widely. In 2005, before the enactment of
2005 Wis. Act 141, natural gas and electric customers contributed between 0 and 1.10 percent of their bills to these programs. While Wis. Act 141 equalized the amounts that energy utilities must pay, it retained some of the inequities among utility customers. Under Wis. Stat. 196.374(5)(b)1., energy utilities can collect from a large energy customer no more than the customer had been paying in 2005. The result is that some large energy customers still make no contribution to the statewide energy efficiency and renewable resource programs, while others pay more than 1 percent of their bills for these programs. The cap on payments by large energy customers also creates inequities for other utility customers because they must contribute excess amounts to make up for the shortfall of payments from large energy customers.
The Commission's proposal assigns to each customer class the projected costs of the energy efficiency and renewable resource programs that it is receiving. This ensures that customers are receiving benefits from the programs commensurate with the contributions to date, large energy customers have been receiving energy efficiency and renewable resource services in excess of the contributions. The Commission's proposal increases the cost responsibility of large energy customers over three years until they are paying their full share. This gradual increase in cost responsibility is designed to mitigate the fiscal impact on large energy customers while still equitably allocating the cost of these programs among the classes of energy utility customers.
If this proposal is not enacted into law by July 1, 2009, the existing statute requires the Commission to annually raise the payments of a large energy customer by the lesser of the percentage increase in the customer's utility's operating revenues or the consumer price index.
Thank you for your consideration of this proposal. If you have further questions, please contact my Executive Assistant, Nate Zolik, at 267-7897.
Sincerely,
eric callisto
Chairperson
Referred to committee on Commerce, Utilities, Energy, and Rail.
State of Wisconsin
Department of Corrections
January 1, 2009
The Honorable, The Legislature:
Attached in compliance with s.
301.03(6t), is the Department's information on the use of overtime in state adult correctional institutions for fiscal year 2008. Should you have any questions related to this information please contact Roland Couey at 608-240-5405.
Sincerely,
Rick raemisch
Secretary
__________________
State of Wisconsin
Department of Administration
January 5, 2009
The Honorable, The Legislature:
Please find enclosed the Service Award Program 2008 Annual Report. The Service Award Board approved the report at its meeting on December 9, 2008. The report provides an overview of the program and outlines the accomplishments for the program year.
Wisconsin State Statute 16.25(6) requires the Department to submit the report to the Chief Clerk of each house annually describing the activities of the board.
If you have any questions regarding the report, please contact Terri Lenz at the Department of Administration, Division of Enterprise Operations, at (608) 261-6580.
Sincerely,
James M. Langdon
Secretary, Service Award Board
__________________
Relating to motor carrier safety, and hazardous material transportation safety.
Submitted by Department of Transportation.
Referred to committee on Transportation, Tourism, Forestry, and Natural Resources, January 13, 2009.
Relating to the county forest administration grant program.
Submitted by Department of Natural Resources.
Report received from Agency, January 13, 2009.
Referred to committee on Transportation, Tourism, Forestry, and Natural Resources, January 13, 2009.
Relating to minor and technical rule changes.
Submitted by Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection.
Report received from Agency, January 12, 2009.
Referred to committee on Agriculture and Higher Education, January 13, 2009.
__________________
President Risser, with unanimous consent, asked that the Senate adjourn until Tuesday, January 27, 2009,
pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1.
Adjourned.
10:31 A.M.
