Energy Bills to be Heard in Senate Commerce Committee, Tuesday May 8
The following is a press release regarding two energy bills being heard in Senate Commerce tomorrow.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 7, 2007
Energy Bills to be Heard in Senate Commerce Committee May 8
Buckley and Bobzien say legislation will protect consumers, encourage renewable energy use
CARSON CITY—Legislation to protect Nevada consumers from unjustified utility rate increases and to encourage greater use of renewable energy will be heard in the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee tomorrow (May 8th). The bills were previously discussed in Democratic “pen and pad” sessions.
AB 7 will require that any public utility seeking a rate increase must provide documentation that the costs, transactions, or practices leading to the request were reasonably incurred.
Speaker Barbara Buckley (D-Las Vegas) said the bill clarifies current law by specifying that the burden of proof for any rate increase is on the utility making the request.
“With the rising cost of so many necessities today, it is essential that we do everything we can to keep the cost of electricity and gas as low as possible,” said Buckley. “A utility asking for a rate hike should be able to show why the increase is unavoidable, or the rate increase should not be granted.”
AB 178, sponsored by Assemblyman David Bobzien (D-Reno), would raise the net metering cap to provide incentives for larger-scale renewable energy projects. It also creates a Wind Generations program similar to the Solar Generations program to encourage development of wind energy.
Bobzien said the bill is an important step toward energy independence in our state.
“Net metering allows people with energy projects such as solar panels to contribute excess power to the energy grid and get credits on their power bills, making it economically more attractive to use renewable energy,” Bobzien said. “Raising the cap will provide these same economic incentives to use renewable energy to larger systems such as schools and retail stores.”
Both bills passed the Assembly unanimously.
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Contacts:
Barbara Buckley
775-684-8537
David Bobzien
775-684-8559