The Ontario Energy Board has recently geared up its consultations with stakeholders on the regulatory rules and policies that are expected to affect the market for Distributed Energy Resources (DERs). Two proceedings announced earlier in the year were brought into focus with an extensive Stakeholder Conference on September 17, and a third proceeding began with a series of written submissions on September 16.
The two earlier proceedings are titled Utility Remuneration (EB-2018-0287) and Responding to Distributed Energy Resources EB-2018-0288. A Board posting summarizes the first proceeding by saying, “The OEB is initiating a consultation to identify how to remunerate utilities in ways that make them indifferent to traditional or innovative solutions, better supports their pursuit of least cost solutions, strengthens their focus on long-term value and requires them to reflect the impact of sector evolution in their system planning and operations.”
Another Board statement summarizes the second proceeding as follows: “The OEB is initiating a consultation to develop a more comprehensive regulatory framework that facilitates investment and operation of DERs on the basis of value to consumers and supports effective DER integration so the benefits of sector evolution can be realized.”
In its March 15, 2019 consultation initiation letter announcing the two new proceedings, the Board said that the initiatives are intended to:
• Facilitate lower costs, better service and more choice for customers by encouraging utilities and other service providers to embrace innovation in their operations and the products they offer to consumers
• Secure the benefits of sector transformation and mitigate any adverse consequences.
When originally instituted, the Board noted that the proceedings were intended “To support the evolution of the electricity sector.” The OEB explained that it will “proceed with these two initiatives through a coordinated consultative process that will take advantage of opportunities to combine stakeholder participation activities, and integrate OEB-issued materials as and when appropriate.”
The third proceeding focuses on a review of LDC connection procedures for DERs. In its kickoff letter of August 13, the Board outlined the third proceeding’s scope as follows: “to review its requirements in regard to the connection of distributed energy resources (DERs) by licensed electricity distributors (DER Connections Review). The purpose of this initiative is to identify any barriers to the connection of DERs, and where appropriate to standardize and improve the connection process. The review will be focused on connection of electricity generation and storage facilities connected to the distribution system, either in front or behind the distributor’s meter.”
Highlights from the Stakeholder Conference are included in a separate article, elsewhere in this issue of IPPSO FACTO. For more information on the proceedings, readers may visit the following locations on the OEB website:
Utility Remuneration EB-2018-0287: oeb.ca > Home > Industry > Policy initiatives and consultations > Utility Remuneration
https://www.oeb.ca/industry/policy-initiatives-and-consultations/utility-remuneration
Responding to Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) EB-2018-0288: oeb.ca > Home > Industry > Policy initiatives and consultations > Responding to Distributed Energy Resources (DERs)
Distributed Energy Resources (DER) Connections Review EB-2019-0207: oeb.ca > Home > Industry > Policy initiatives and consultations > Distributed Energy Resources (DER) Connections Review
Advisory Committee on Innovation EB-2018-0287: oeb.ca > Home > About us > Who we are > Stakeholder and consumer groups > Advisory Committee on Innovation
(Same proceeding number as the first proceeding above, but different name and different collection of documents).
https://www.oeb.ca/about-us/who-we-are/stakeholder-and-consumer-groups/advisory-committee-innovation.
See also the following related stories in this issue:
APPrO comments at the OEB Stakeholder Conference on DERs
APPrO warns against punitive standby charges