Duke Power?s new Save A Watt program was the subject at the utility hearings today reports the Charlotte Business Journal. Save-A Watt is a mandated energy efficiency program allowed under last year?s massive energy bill (Senate Bill 3).
In a Locker Room post in early July, Daren alerted us to concerns expressed by the Public Staff over increased costs of light bulbs under the Save A Watt program. And just a few days ago Daren wondered why environmental groups had not pushed for third party administration of Save A Watt. Well, they apparently were listening because today, environmental group N.C. Waste Awareness and Reduction Network (NC WARN) proposed an alternative plan they?re calling NC $aves that would be administered by a third party. Their plan calls for a mandated 1% decrease in energy use every year for 10 years. By 2018, energy use through efficiency measures under NC Saves would be reduced 10%. Senate Bill 3 required utilities to develop programs that would reduce electricity demand by 5% by the year 2021. See more details in Daren’s SB3 spotlight here.
What the government mandated energy efficiency requirements are and how they are administered, either by the utility companies or a third party group, mean the same thing for consumers ? higher energy prices.
