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Act 129 Statewide Evaluator (SWE)

The Act 129 Statewide Evaluator monitors and verifies data collection, quality assurance and the results of each electric distribution company’s (EDC) Energy Efficiency and Conservation Plan (EE&C Plan) and the EE&C program as a whole.

SWE Act 129 Reports

The Commission is releasing the following Act 129 Statewide Evaluator Reports for the Act 129 Energy Efficiency and Conservation Program. The findings, conclusions, and recommendations contained in the Statewide Evaluator’s Reports are the findings, conclusions, and recommendations of the Statewide Evaluator only and, as such, are not necessarily agreed to by the EDCs or the Commission. The Commission, while not adopting the findings, conclusions, and recommendations contained in the SWE Reports, may consider and adopt some or all of them at a later date in appropriate proceedings, such as the annual Technical Reference Manual (TRM) update, Total Resource Cost (TRC) Test Manual update, and individual EDC Energy Efficiency and Conservation Plan revision proceedings.

Program Year 14

Program Year 13

Program Year 12

Program Year 11

Program Year 10

Program Year 9

Program Year 8

Program Year 7

Program Year 6

Program Year 5

Program Year 4

Program Year 3

Program Year 2

Program Year 1

Statewide Commercial and Residential Light Metering Study

In its planning for a potential Phase III of the Act 129 Energy Efficiency and Conservation (EE&C) Program, the Commission directed the Act 129 Statewide Evaluator to conduct a light metering study to provide the Commission with updated lighting load profile information for the residential and commercial sectors. This information will assist in the calculations of electric consumption and peak demand reductions for lighting energy efficiency programs in Pennsylvania and will help in determining to calculate the lighting savings factors.

Act 129 SWE Commercial and Residential Light Metering Study - Dated January 13, 2015.

Act 129 SWE Commercial and Residential Light Metering Study Secretarial Letter - Dated February 4, 2015, at Docket No. M-2014-2424864.

SWE Baseline Studies

The Commission tasked the SWE with performing residential and non-residential baseline studies. The purpose of these studies was to establish baseline energy use and building characteristics for the residential, commercial and industrial sectors and to provide baseline energy equipment saturations. The studies also describe the characteristics of energy-using equipment, the efficient electric equipment stock and building characteristics present in the service territories of the seven electric distribution companies.

Phase V

Release of the Statewide Evaluator Baseline Studies Secretarial Letter - On March 25, 2024, the Commission issued a Secretarial Letter releasing the Act 129 Statewide Energy Efficiency Residential and Non-Residential Baseline Studies. Docket No. M-2023-3044490. 

Statewide Evaluator Baseline Studies Secretarial Letter – On January 3, 2024, the Commission issued a Secretarial Letter announcing a stakeholder meeting regarding the Act 129 Statewide Energy Efficiency Residential and Non-Residential Baseline Studies. The stakeholder meeting will be held in Harrisburg on Wednesday, February 7, 2024. Docket No. M-2023-3044490.  Agenda is included in the Secretarial Letter.

Phase IV

Release of the Statewide Evaluator Baseline Studies Secretarial Letter - On February 14, 2019, the Commission issued a Secretarial Letter releasing the Act 129 Statewide Energy Efficiency Residential and Non-Residential Baseline Studies. Docket No. M-2019-3006866.

Statewide Evaluator Baseline Studies Secretarial Letter – On January 3, 2019, the Commission issued a Secretarial Letter announcing a stakeholder meeting regarding the Act 129 Statewide Energy Efficiency Residential and Non-Residential Baseline Studies. The stakeholder meeting will be held in Harrisburg on Wednesday, January 30, 2019. Docket No. M-2019-3006866. Agenda is included in the Secretarial Letter.

Phase III

Release of Act 129 SWE Baseline Studies & Stakeholder Meeting Announcement – Regarding the release of the Act 129 Pennsylvania Statewide Residential and Non-Residential Baseline Studies. The Letter also announced a Stakeholders’ Meeting that will be held on Thursday, July 11, 2014, from 9:30 to 11:30 A.M. in Hearing Room 1 of the Keystone Building. Docket No. M-2014-2424864. Served June 12, 2014.

2014 Pennsylvania Statewide Act 129 Residential Baseline Study - April 2014. Submitted by GDS Associates Inc. in partnership with Nexant Inc., Research Into Action, and Apex Analystics.

Pennsylvania Statewide Act 129 2014 Non-Residential End Use & Saturation Study - April 4, 2014 Submitted by Nexant Inc., in partnership with GDS Associates, Research in Action, and Apex Analystics.

Phase II

Statewide Evaluator Baseline Studies Secretarial Letter - Regarding the release of the Act 129 Pennsylvania Statewide Electric End Use and Saturation Studies. The Letter also announced a Stakeholders’ Meeting that is being held on Tuesday, June 5, 2012. Letter dated May 8, 2012. Docket No. M-2012-2289411.

SWE Energy Efficiency and Demand Response Potential Studies

The Commission has tasked the SWE to conduct energy efficiency potential studies to inform the Commission of the energy savings potential remaining in the large EDCs service territories. The information was used to aid the Commission in determining potential Act 129 Energy Efficiency and Conservation (EE&C) consumption reduction targets for the various phases. In addition, the Commission tasked the SWE to perform a demand response (DR) potential study for Phase III. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of Act 129 DR programs and to determine the optimum method, if any, to obtain cost-effective peak demand reductions of Act 129’s EE&C programs.

Phase IV

Secretarial Letter Cancellation Notice for the Act 129 Statewide Evaluator Energy Efficiency and Peak Demand Reduction Market Potential and Demand Response Potential Studies Stakeholder Meeting - On March 20, 2020, the Commission, in response to the Coronavirus (COVID-19), issued a Secretarial Letter announcing the cancellation of its Act 129 Statewide Evaluator Energy Efficiency and Peak Demand Reduction Market Potential and Demand Response Potential Studies Stakeholder Meeting.  The meeting was initially scheduled for Wednesday, March 25, 2020, from 10:00 A.M. to 2:30 P.M. in Hearing Room 1 of the Commonwealth Keystone Building in Harrisburg. Docket No. M-2020-3015229.  Served March 20, 2020.

Release of the Act 129 SWE Energy Efficiency and Peak Demand Reduction & Demand Response Potential Studies and Stakeholder Meeting Announcement Secretarial Letter - On March 2, 2020, the Commission issued a Secretarial Letter releasing the SWE’s Energy Efficiency and Peak Demand Reduction Market Potential and Demand Response Potential Studies.  The Letter also announced a stakeholder meeting to allow stakeholders to ask clarifying questions related to the studies. The stakeholder meeting will be held on Wednesday, March 25, 2020, from 10 A.M. to 2:30 P.M. in Hearing Room 1 of the Keystone Building. Docket No. M-2020-3015229. Served March 2, 2020

Phase III

Act 129 SWE EE Potential Study 4/8/15 Data Request Response - On April 8, 2015, the Commission held a stakeholder meeting to allow stakeholders to ask clarifying questions related to the SWE’s EE and DR potential studies. Questions were raised that required further research. This document reflects those questions and provides the SWE’s answers.

Release of Act 129 Potential Studies & Stakeholder Meeting Announcement Secretarial Letter – Served February 27, 2015, at Docket No. M-2014-2424864.

Act 129 Statewide Evaluator Demand Response Potential for Pennsylvania - Final Report – Dated February 25, 2015. Released via Secretarial Letter, at Docket No. M-2014-2424864, on February 27, 2015.

Act 129 Statewide Evaluator Energy Efficiency Potential for Pennsylvania - Final Report – Dated February 2015. Released via Secretarial Letter, at Docket No. M-2014-2424864, on February 27, 2015.

Act 129 SWE Energy Efficiency & Demand Response Market Potential Studies Stakeholder Meeting Secretarial Letter - Dated June 12, 2014. Docket No. M-2014-2424864. 

Phase II

Final Order on Act 129 SWE to Perform a Demand Response Potential Study - From the Public Meeting of February 20, 2014 at Docket Nos. M-2012-2289411 and M-2008-2069887. Statement by Commissioner Cawley

Peak Demand Cost Effectiveness Determination Tentative Order – Entered Nov. 14, 2013. Docket Nos. M-2012-2289411 and M-2008-2069887.

Act 129 SWE Demand Response Study Final Report - Amended November 1, 2013 – Dated November 1, 2013. Released with the Commission’s Peak Demand Cost Effectiveness Determination Tentative Order at Docket Nos. M-2012-2289411 and M-2008-2069887.

Comments for M-2012-2289411

Act 129 SWE Demand Response Study Release & Stakeholder Meeting Secretarial Letter – By this Secretarial Letter, the Commission released the Act 129 Statewide Evaluator’s Demand Response Study and announced a Stakeholder Meeting to be held June 11, 2013, from 1-3 PM in Hearing Room 1 of the Keystone Building. Served May 17, 2013, at Docket No. M-2012-2289411.

Act 129 Statewide Evaluator Demand Response Study Final Report – Dated May 16, 2013.

Demand Response Stakeholders' Meeting Presentation - June 11, 2013.

Feb 2013 Act 129 SWE Demand Response Study Stakeholder Meeting - Notification of Rescheduling – The Commission has rescheduled its February 12, 2013 SWE Demand Response Study Stakeholder Meeting to February 21, 2013, from 1:30 to 3:30 pm in Hearing Room 3 of the Keystone Building. Served February 5, 2013, at Docket No. M-2012-2289411.

Feb 2013 Act 129 SWE Demand Response Study Stakeholder Meeting Secretarial Letter - This Secretarial Announced a Stakeholder Meeting to be held on February 12, 2013. Served January 14, 2013, at Docket No. M-2012-2289411.

Act 129 SWE Demand Response Study Stakeholders Meeting Secretarial Letter - Served July 20, 2012. Docket No. M-2012-2289411.

Statewide Evaluator Market Potential Study Presentation – As provided to stakeholders at the June 5, 2012 Stakeholder Meeting.

Statewide Evaluator Market Potential Study – Released with the Commission’s Act 129 Phase II Tentative Implementation Order on May 11, 2012, at Docket No. M-2012-2289411.

Demand Response Study Secretarial Letter – Served March 4, 2011, at Docket No. M-2008-2069887.

Statewide Distributed Generation Potential Study

The Commission tasked the SWE to conduct, as a companion to its Energy Efficiency Potential Study, a distributed generation (DG) market potential analysis. The objective of the DG Potential Study was to provide estimates of the technical, economic, and achievable energy (MWh) and demand (MW) savings potential for DG resources for the periods of 3, 5 and 10 years beginning June 1, 2016. Results are provided on both statewide and EDC bases. The SWE conducted this study noting that, as part of Act 129, EE&C measures can include Commission-approved DG technologies, such as combined heat and power systems.

Act 129 SWE Distributed Generation Potential Study – Released April 21, 2015. Docket No. M-2014-2424864.

Residential Behavioral Program Persistence Study

In preparation for the 2021 Technical Reference Manual update and Phase IV Market Potential Study, the Statewide Evaluator conducted a similar investigation of Home Energy Report (HER) persistence among households served by the FirstEnergy EDCs. These homes received HERs in Phase II of Act 129 and stopped receiving HERs at the beginning of Phase III (June 2016). The analysis examines the decay of savings in the two years after HER treatment was discontinued. The report combines new findings from the FirstEnergy EDCs with the prior research on HER persistence in PPL and Duquesne service territories to develop a Pennsylvania-specific assumption about the measure life and decay rate of Act 129 Home Energy Report programs.

Addendum to Act 129 Home Energy Report Persistence Study - Dated November 2018.

As part of its 2016 Technical Reference Manual (TRM) update, the Commission directed the Statewide Evaluator (SWE) to conduct an assessment of the savings decay associated with home energy report (HER) programs. The SWE was to analyze billing data provided by PPL, Duquesne and any other EDC that provided HERs in Phases I and/or II and subsequently withdrew the HER application in order to determine potential decay. This information is meant to inform potential updates to the existing custom measure protocol or develop a new TRM protocol for the HER programs.

Act 129 SWE Residential Behavioral Program Persistence Study - Dated December 15, 2015.

SWE Audit Plan

The Audit Plan was prepared by the SWE to audit the evaluation activities and program savings of the seven EDC Energy Efficiency and Conservation (EE&C) Plans in accordance with the directive of Act 129. The Audit Plan contains detailed expectations for EDC evaluation, measurement and verification (EM&V) protocols and plans as well as the potential audit activities to be conducted by the SWE Team.

Phase IV

Phase III

Phase II

Phase I

SWE Contract RFP

Phase IV

NMR Group Technical Proposal for Act 129 SWE RFP - PDF includes the work plan, prior experience and personnel qualifications.

Act 129 Statewide Evaluator Request for Proposals  RFP-2020-2

The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, Bureau of Technical Utility Services seeks to retain the services of a contractor who will perform as the Commission’s Act 129 Statewide Evaluator.  The Commission has been charged by the Pennsylvania General Assembly pursuant to Act 129 of 2008 with establishing an energy efficiency and conservation program. 66 Pa.C.S. §§ 2806.1 and 2806.2.  The energy efficiency and conservation program requires each electric distribution company (EDC) with at least 100,000 customers to adopt a plan to reduce peak energy demand and energy consumption within its service territory. 66 Pa.C.S. § 2806.1.  In order to fulfill this obligation, on June 18, 2020, the Commission entered an Implementation Order at Docket No. M-2020-3015228.  As part of the Implementation Order and Act 129, the Commission seeks a Statewide Evaluator to evaluate the EDCs’ Phase IV energy efficiency and conservation programs.

The sole point of contact in the Commonwealth for this RFP shall be the Issuing Officer, Darren D. Gill, Deputy Director of the Bureau of Technical Utility Services at email dgill@pa.gov.  Due to the COVID-19 Emergency, please communicate only via email, as staff is telecommuting and not in the office, and thus is not able to receive office phone calls and has limited access to physical mail service.

The contract will be a six-year, fixed term, price not-to-exceed, fee-for-service contract, estimated to start in March 2021 and end on February 28, 2027.  

The deadline to submit questions via email regarding this RFP is October 30, 2020.  Please submit questions to Darren Gill at dgill@pa.gov.

Answers to submitted questions will be posted on this webpage by November 6, 2020.

The deadline to submit a proposal is Monday, November 30, 2020 by 3 p.m.

Due to the COVID-19 emergency, proposals must be submitted electronically to the Issuing Officer Darren Gill at dgill@pa.gov.  

Phase III

NMR Group Technical Proposal for Act 129 SWE RFP - Contract

Act 129 Statewide Evaluator Request for Proposals RFP-2015

The Commission has been charged by the Pennsylvania General Assembly pursuant to Act 129 of 2008 (“Act 129”) with establishing an energy efficiency and conservation program. See 66 Pa.C.S. §§ 2806.1 and 2806.2. The energy efficiency and conservation program requires each EDC with at least 100,000 customers to adopt a plan to reduce energy demand and consumption within its service territory. See 66 Pa.C.S. § 2806.1. In order to fulfill this obligation, on June 19, 2015, the Commission entered an Implementation Order at Docket No. M-2014-2424864. As part of the Implementation Order and Act 129, the Commission seeks a Statewide Evaluator to evaluate the EDCs’ Phase III energy efficiency and conservation programs.

Bidders are invited to submit a proposal for the Act 129 Statewide Evaluator Contract in accordance with the enclosed request for proposal.

All proposals must be submitted to the address stated in Section I-11 of the RFP no later than 3 p.m., December 11, 2015, as stated in the Calendar of Events. Late proposals will not be considered regardless of the reason.

All questions should be submitted by email (with subject line “RFP-2015-3 Statewide Evaluator RFP Question”) to Darren Gill at dgill@pa.gov by November 9, 2015, as stated in the Calendar of Events. All Proposers will be provided with written answers to questions asked by any Proposer by November 23, 2015, as stated in the Calendar of Events.

In addition, a pre-proposal conference was held on Thursday, November 12, 2015 at 1 p.m. in Executive Chambers, 3rdFloor, Commonwealth Keystone Building, 400 North St., Harrisburg PA 17120. Questions were submitted at the pre-proposal conference, and answered by November 23, 2015. Attendance at the pre-proposal conference was not mandatory. 

Questions & Answers - Q&A from the Pre-Proposal Conference held on November 12, 2015. Posted on November 23, 2015.

Phase II

GDS Technical SWE RFP Rebid Proposal with Appendices - Contract

Act 129 Statewide Evaluator Request for Proposals RFP-2012-8

The Commission has been charged by the Pennsylvania General Assembly pursuant to Act 129 of 2008 (“Act 129”) with establishing an energy efficiency and conservation program. See 66 Pa.C.S. §§ 2806.1 and 2806.2. The energy efficiency and conservation program requires each EDC with at least 100,000 customers to adopt a plan to reduce energy demand and consumption within its service territory. See 66 Pa.C.S. § 2806.1. In order to fulfill this obligation, on August 2, 2012, the Commission entered an Implementation Order at Docket No. M-2012-2289411. As part of the Implementation Order and Act 129, the Commission seeks a Statewide Evaluator to evaluate the EDCs’ Phase II energy efficiency and conservation programs.

Bidders are invited to submit a proposal for the Act 129 Statewide Evaluator Contract in accordance with the enclosed request for proposal.

All proposals must be submitted to the address stated in Section I-11 of the RFP no later than 3 p.m., January 11, 2013, as stated in the Calendar of Events. Late proposals will not be considered regardless of the reason.

All questions should be submitted by email (with subject line “RFP-2012-8 Statewide Evaluator RFP Question”) to Darren Gill at dgill@pa.gov by December 10, 2012, as stated in the Calendar of Events. All Proposers will be provided with written answers to questions asked by any Proposer by December 21, 2012, as stated in the Calendar of Events.

In addition, a pre-proposal conference was held on Thursday, December 13, 2012 at 1 p.m. at the Commonwealth Keystone Building. Questions were submitted at the pre-proposal conference, and answered by December 21, 2012. Attendance at the pre-proposal conference was not mandatory.

Questions and Answers - Pre-proposal Attendance Sheet

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