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Vermont
Restructuring Overview | Public
Benefits
Legislation Passed
Electric N Gas N
Electric
Overview
- Vermont is the only state in the Northeast that has not begun retail competition. The
Vermont Public Service Board recommended restructuring in 1996. A bill to implement
comprehensive restructuring passed the Senate in 1997, but died in the House. Several
other bills were introduced in the next session, but none passed out of committee.
- A major obstacle is the very high level of stranded costs from must-take power
contracts. Several of the largest utilities tried to negotiate stranded costs mitigation
with power suppliers, and they also proposed recovering the remaining stranded costs
through regulatory action. In 2001, both Green Mountain Power and Central Vermont Public
Service announced that it was no longer in their current plans to change their structures,
although they asked the Board to keep the restructuring docket open. The Board rejected
that request in December 2001.
Natural Gas
Overview
- The Vermont Public Service Board (PSB) is considering opening up competition for smaller
customers, but no formal case has been opened.
Utility Regulatory Commission
Public Service Board
802-828-2358
www.state.vt.us/psb/
Consumer advocate
Office of the Attorney General
1-800-649-2424
www.state.vt.us/atg/consumer.htm
Public Benefits
While Vermont has not passed restructuring legislation, it did adopt legislation giving
the state's Public Service Board the authority to establish a system benefits charge to
fund energy efficiency programs through Efficiency Vermont, a non-utility entity.
Efficiency Vermont is charged with administering and delivering seven statewide energy
efficiency programs for all customer classes (residential, including low-income
multifamily and single family; commercial, industrial and dairy agricultural). Annual
funding is about $17.5 million, with about 16% for low-income programs. (Click here for
details on the state’s low-income energy
and general residential energy programs.)
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