Full Title: Indiana's Core and Core Plus Energy Efficiency Programs
Author(s): Steve Kihm and Melanie Lord
Publisher(s): Energy Center of Wisconsin
Publication Date: August 1, 2014
Full Text: Download Resource
Description (excerpt):
The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (Commission) opened an investigation into Indiana Demand Side Management (DSM) activities in 2004 (Cause No. 42693), and in 2006 directed Commission staff to assess the current state of DSM activities in the state through two phases. DSM in this context broadly refers to the implementation of activities designed to encourage consumers to reduce their electricity use. During the first phase, the Commission reviewed the status of current DSM efforts in Indiana, identified alternative models for DSM program administration and delivery, and developed recommendations for enhancing Indiana DSM efforts. Primary findings from Phase I were that, compared with other states, Indiana showed relatively low levels of energy savings, low levels of spending on DSM initiatives, and an inconsistent patchwork of program offerings. It is important to acknowledge that after the Phase I report was completed, a number of electric utilities in Indiana completed energy efficiency potential studies, and several utilities filed proposals for new DSM initiatives before the Commission. The Commission issued its Order in Phase I of Cause No. 42693 in April 2008, with the decision to commence a second phase of the proceeding.
Phase II of the proceeding considered approaches for addressing key issues discussed in the Phase I assessment, and pertained only to electricity and steam providers in Indiana. The goal of Phase II was to develop a path for improving existing approaches to electric DSM in Indiana. From November 2008 through February 2009, a series of three technical workshops were conducted with stakeholders to solicit feedback on how to address Indiana’s relatively low level of DSM spending and relatively high energy consumption, as compared with other states; evaluate alternative mechanisms for addressing the inconsistent patchwork of DSM programs in Indiana; and consider the formation of an oversight board to oversee development of a more uniform statewide approach to electric DSM.