Title: _

A.99-09-049 et al.  LRB/sid

LRB/sid  7/28/2000

BEFORE THE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

Application of SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON COMPANY (U 338-E) for Approval of Program Year 2000 and 2001 Energy Efficiency Program Plans, Budgets, and Performance Award Mechanism.

Application 99-09-049
(Filed September 27, 1999)

Application of Pacific Gas and Electric Company for Approval of Program Years 2000 and 2001 Energy Efficiency Programs (U 39 M).

Application 99-09-050
(Filed September 27, 1999)

Compliance Application of San Diego Gas & Electric Company (U 902-M) for Approval of 2000 and 2001 Energy Efficiency Programs, Budgets, Performance Incentive Structure.

Application 99-09-057
(Filed September 27, 1999)

Compliance Application of Southern California Gas Company (U 904-G) for Approval of 2000 and 2001 Energy Efficiency Programs, Budgets, Performance Incentive Mechanism.

Application 99-09-058
(Filed September 27, 1999)

ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JUDGE’S RULING
ON SCHEDULE AND PROCESS FOR SUMMER 2000
ENERGY EFFICEINCY INITIATIVE

On July 6, 2000, the Commission issued Decision (D.) 00-07-017 which, among other things, acknowledges California’s current energy market situation and adopts a plan for a Summer 2000 Energy Efficiency Initiative to “initiate a rapid response procedure to give us measurable demand and energy usage reductions beginning in Summer 2000.”  The decision calls for the parties to file, by July 21, 2000, program proposals “that will bring about the largest reductions in electric demand and/or electric usage reductions in the shortest amount of time, along with concrete plans for program administration, implementation, verification of demand and energy reductions, and program budgets,” and a description of the cost-effectiveness methodology used in formulating the proposal.  D.00-07-017 further provides for the filing of comments on the proposals by July 31, 2000.
D.00-07-017 authorizes the Assigned Commissioners (President Lynch and Commissioner Neeper) and the ALJ to “approve program suggestions for implementation on or before August 21, 2000.”  The decision does not provide for full Commission review of the joint Assigned Commissioners/ALJ ruling although any Commissioner may bring the matter to the full Commission.
Twenty-five entities, including utilities, industry groups, consultants, governments, and non-profits, filed proposals on July 21.  With some assistance from the Commission’s Docket Office, each of these proposals was served on the existing service list for this proceeding, although service may not have been made on the date the proposals were filed.  
On July 27, 2000, the Office of Ratepayer Advocates (ORA) filed a Motion for an extension of the period for Reply Comments. Given the number and breadth of the proposals, ORA requests that the comment period be extended until August 7.  ORA states that the extra time will give ORA and other parties the time needed to meaningfully respond to the numerous proposals.  This, in turn, will assist the Commission in making an informed decision.
In consultation with the Assigned Commissioners, I grant ORA’s Motion in part.  It is essential that we receive the best analysis of the 25 parties’ proposals.  While all the proposals were timely filed, they were not all timely served on the service list for this proceeding.  Further, many proposals were filed by entities that did not previously participate in this proceeding and thus were not included on the service list.  These entities were not served with all of the proposals.  Commission staff expeditiously ensured that the new filers were added to the service list, and, on July 25, 2000 provided all filers, by e-mail, with a list of the proposals received and instructions for obtaining copies electronically or in written form.   
Because of the time lapse in serving copies of the proposals, and to ensure that we have sufficient and complete comments, I will extend the deadline for filing comments.  However, I will only extend the deadline to August 4, 2000 so that we can complete the review and issue the Ruling by August 21, 2000, as required by D.00-07-017.
All parties who wish to submit Comments should file the document with the Commission’s Docket Office, following the Commission’s published filing procedures, and should also serve the parties, the ALJ, and the Assigned Commissioners on the same date.  For purposes of this filing, it is permissible to serve all parties who have provided an e-mail address by e-mail.
I also put the utilities and parties who filed proposals on notice that the Assigned Commissioners or I may seek additional information to clarify the proposals submitted.  Due to the compressed timeframes, some of the filings were incomplete or unclear.  We do not wish to disqualify proposals for procedural imperfections or incomplete information, but we may need to enhance our understanding of the proposals in order to produce a Ruling that meets the Commission’s goals and the public interest. 
IT IS RULED that:
1.	Comments on the Summer Initiative Proposals shall be filed by August 4, 2000;
2.	Comments shall be filed in the Commission’s Docket Office following the Commission’s published filing procedures;
3.	Comments shall be served on all parties, the Administrative Law Judge, and the Assigned Commissioners on the filing date.  For purposes of this filing, it is permissible to serve all parties who have provided an e-mail address by e‑mail.
Dated July 28, 2000, at San Francisco, California.

| | /s/   LINDA R. BYTOF

Linda R. Bytof
Administrative Law Judge

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I certify that I have by mail this day served a true copy of the original attached Administrative Law Judge’s Ruling on Schedule and Process for Summer 2000 Energy Efficiency Initiative on all parties of record in this proceeding or their attorneys of record.
Dated July 28, 2000, at San Francisco, California.

/s/  FANNIE SID
Fannie Sid

NOTICE

Parties should notify the Process Office, Public Utilities Commission, 505 Van Ness Avenue, Room 2000, San Francisco, CA  94102, of any change of address to insure that they continue to receive documents. You must indicate the proceeding number on the service list on which your name appears.

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