Press Release

PUC Approves Philadelphia Gas Works Plans for Demand-Side Management

Published on 10/6/2016

Filed under: Gas

HARRISBURG – The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) today approved Philadelphia Gas Works (PGW) PGW’s Demand-Side Management Plan for Fiscal Years 2016-2020.

The Commission voted 5-0 in favor of a Final Order and Opinion addressing the PGW plans, along with comments filed by numerous other parties, including the Commission’s independent Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement (I&E), the Office of Consumer Advocate (OCA), the Coalition for Affordable Utility Services and Energy Efficiency in Pennsylvania (CAUSE-PA) and the Tenant Union Representative Network (TURN) and the Action Alliance of Senior Citizens of Greater Philadelphia.

Central to today’s action were outstanding issues involving the budget for PGW’s Low Income Usage Reduction Program (LIURP), to support projects that help low-income households reduce their energy consumption. Following extensive testimony and calculations, the Commission established a PGW annual LIURP budget amount of $5,860,506, for the 2017 Fiscal Year.

Based on a motion submitted by Commissioner David W. Sweet, the Commission directed the PUC’s Bureau of Consumer Services (BCS) to review PGW’s LIURP program, in conjunction with the ongoing review of PGW’s Universal Service and Energy Conservation Plan (USECP) for 2017-2020.  Based on that review, BCS will offer recommendations to the Commission regarding appropriately funding PGW’s LIURP program in a cost-effective manner, for 2018 through 2020.  Those recommendations will be released for public comment as part of the Commission’s proceedings involving PGW’s USECP Plan.

The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission balances the needs of consumers and utilities; ensures safe and reliable utility service at reasonable rates; protects the public interest; educates consumers to make independent and informed utility choices; furthers economic development; and fosters new technologies and competitive markets in an environmentally sound manner.

For recent news releases and video of select Commission proceedings or more information about the PUC, visit our website at www.puc.pa.gov. Follow the PUC on Twitter – @PA_PUC for all things utility.  “Like” Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission on Facebook for easy access to information on utility issues.

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Docket No.: P-2014-2459362
 

Contact:

• Nils Hagen-Frederiksen
  Press Secretary
  717-418-2701
  nhagen-fre@pa.gov