By Mr. Dempsey of Haverhill, petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3295) of Brian S. Dempsey establishing a "pay as you save" pilot program by the Department of Telecommunications and Energy permitting electric companies to install renewable energy products.  Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy.

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

——————

PETITION OF:

Brian S. Dempsey

——————

In the Year Two Thousand and Seven.

——————

An Act establishing a pay as you save pilot program.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

SECTION 1. 

The secretary of energy and environmental affairs shall, in conjunction with the public utilities commission implement a “pay as you save” pilot program, allowing electric utility customers to purchase and install renewable energy products in their residences or commercial facilities, by paying the cost of the system over time through an additional charge on the customer's electricity bill.  The cost of the products purchased under the pilot program shall be added to the electric utility customer’s utility bills, as a monthly PAYS tariff, and shall be paid until the cost of purchase and installation of the products is paid off.  The payment structure shall be implemented so that the charge on the electric utility customer’s utility bill shall be less than the energy savings of that customer over the course of each given year. Non-payment by the owner of the PAYS tariff shall result in disconnection, and a utility shall be entitled to recover the debt.

The secretary of energy and environmental affairs shall establish the pilot program with a minimum of 50 participants and a maximum of 200 participants.  The maximum project size for the program shall be $1,000 for commercial utility customers and $500 for residential utility customers. Portable electrical cost measures shall not be funded. “Quick pay” options shall be explored, allowing customers to have the option to pay off the entire balance of the amount financed on the first billing cycle. The program shall be funded from a percentage of the energy efficiency systems-benefit-charge, M.G.L. ch. 25 §19, as determined by the secretary, and shall be used to offset the cost of the program for the utilities.

SECTION 2. 

The pilot program shall be implemented no later than July 1, 2007 and shall expire on December 31, 2007.