Act 147-2003 HB 10  Requires retail suppliers of electricity to annually disclose to their retail customers fuel mix information by generation category for electricity sold. (HB10 HD2 SD1 CD1)

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that there is a need to increase consumer awareness of retail electricity services and the fuel choices made by the electric utilities operating in Hawaii. Pursuant to chapter 196, Hawaii Revised Statutes, the department of business, economic development, and tourism annually issues reports on the fuel mix of Hawaii's electricity generation system in the "Energy Resources Coordinator's Annual Report." The legislature finds that Hawaii's utilities and other energy providers have been cooperative in providing detailed information on their fuel mix to the department.

The legislature finds that although this information is available through public documents, there is a need to more widely disseminate this information to the State's electricity consumers. Consumer disclosure ensures that retail electricity consumers purchasing electric energy receive basic information about the characteristics associated with their electricity service in a form that facilitates consumer understanding of retail electricity services and the development of new services responsive to consumer preferences. This disclosure requirement is not intended to increase costs to utilities or ratepayers.

Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to require retail suppliers of electricity in Hawaii to annually disclose information on the average retail price and fuel mix of the electricity services they sell.

SECTION 2. Chapter 269, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§269- Annual fuel mix disclosure. (a) Beginning June 1, 2004, and every June 1 thereafter, each retail supplier of electricity shall disclose fuel mix information by generation category to its existing and new retail electricity customers for the prior calendar year.

(b) Beginning June 1, 2004, and every June 1 thereafter, each retail supplier of electricity shall state the average retail price of electricity (per kilowatt-hour) for each rate class of service for the prior calendar year. The average retail price of electricity for each rate class of service shall be determined by dividing the total electric revenues for each rate class of service by the total kilowatt-hours sold to each respective rate class.

(c) The disclosure required by this section shall be:

(1) Printed either on the customer's bill or as a bill insert; provided that this disclosure requirement shall not result in increased costs to ratepayers; and

(2) Posted and updated on the supplier's Internet website, if any.

(d) As used in this section, the term "fuel mix" means the electricity sold to retail electricity customers expressed in terms of percentage contribution by generation category. The total fuel mix included in each disclosure shall total one hundred per cent."

SECTION 3. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.