Government Energy Policy, Business and Technology

Kansas regulators reject most of utility's energy efficiency proposal

Midwest Energy News: In Kansas, which ranks 48th in the nation for its lack of energy efficiency incentives, regulators have rejected most parts of a utility proposal to establish a set of efficiency benefits for its customers.

Kansas City Power & Light (KCP&L) wanted to create a set of benefits in Kansas very similar to those it offers its customers on the Missouri side of the Kansas City metropolitan area. However, the Kansas Corporation Commission ruled on Thursday that most of the rebates and other benefits did not justify their cost.

A few components of the proposal did survive, including an energy-efficiency education program as well as efficiency benefits targeted toward low-income residents. Those initiatives aren’t required to meet the cost-benefit test that is applied to other parts of the utility’s proposal. The commission also determined that a lighting incentive would deliver benefits exceeding its cost, as well as two programs for business customers. Those are a demand-response incentive and a standard efficiency rebate.

Read article