Public Utilities Commission Study Of Community Choice Energy

Investor-owned Utility Review Interim Study Committee. The bill declares that the concept of "community choice energy" (CCE), under which a community may choose to purchase electricity at wholesale through a supplier other than the local investor-owned electric utility, has the potential to enable communities to meet their renewable energy goals and save money without disrupting the local utility's current status as sole supplier of transmission, distribution, and customer service functions. To lay the groundwork for potential adoption of CCE in Colorado, the bill proposes 2 studies:

• A feasibility study, conducted by an independent energy expert under the guidance of the public utilities commission (PUC), to examine the financial and technical requirements that would need to be met for CCE to be viable and beneficial; and
• An investigatory proceeding at the PUC, inviting testimony and documentation from persons with firsthand knowledge of utility operations, CCE, or both, including regulators from other states in which CCE has been implemented. The goal of the investigation is to identify best practices and recommend legislative changes that would allow CCE to function well in Colorado if adopted.

The bill directs that reports of the results of the feasibility study and the investigatory docket be given to the legislative committees with jurisdiction over energy matters in late 2020.

(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)