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HomeMy WebLinkAbout20241210PAC to Staff 11-15.pdf RECEIVED 2024 December 10 IDAHO PUBLIC _ ROCKY MOUNTAIN UTILITIES COMMISSION POWER A DIVISION OF PACIFICORP 1407 W North Temple, Suite 330 Salt Lake City, Utah 84116 December 10, 2024 Monica Barrios-Sanchez Commission Secretary Idaho Public Utilities Commission 11331 W. Chinden Blvd. Bldg. 8, Ste. 201-A Boise, ID 83714 monica.barrio ssanchez(apuc.Idaho.gov S ecretarygpuc.idaho.gov RE: ID PAC-E-24-10 IPUC Set 2 (11-15) Please find enclosed Rocky Mountain Power's Responses to IPUC 2nd Set Data Requests 11-15. Also provided is Attachment IPUC 15. If you have any questions, please feel free to call me at (801)220-2313. Sincerely, /s/ Mark Alder Manager, Regulation Enclosures PAC-E-24-10/Rocky Mountain Power December 10, 2024 IPUC Data Request 11 IPUC Data Request 11 Page 6 of the 2023 Annual Report states that the Company is working to diversify program participation for the HVAC and Whole Building measure. Please describe the updates that the Company is considering for these measures. Response to IPUC Data Request 11 The Company has taken several steps in an effort to diversify program participation, including the following: • Effective October 2, 2023 for new homes, increased incentive levels for single family air source heat pumps and multifamily ductless heat pumps. • Effective November 25, 2024 for existing homes, simplified tiers for dual fuel heat pumps, added a dual fuel heat pump tier to incentivize non-Air- Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) matching equipment pairs to account for real market scenarios, and increased incentive levels for all categories of ductless heat pumps. • Launched the Company's "Pro Network" for top tier contractors. Requirements for being a "Pro Network" contractor include, a focus on quality of heating, ventiliation, and air conditioning (HVAC) installation from sizing to commissioning, application submission on customers' behalf, and minimal application issues with quick resolution timelines. "Pro Network" contractors receive additional program benefits, including marketing highlights, yard signs, referral campaigns, etc. • Added nine new trade allies to the program. • Additional marketing tactics deployed, such as direct mailers for dual fuel heat pump conversions from propane in partnership with local "Pro Network" contractors for customers in Malad City and Bear Lake County, targeted radio ads for rural locations with multiple radio stations, and an eight-part radio interview series with program staff for a deeper dive into program offers and rebates. • Launched a self-guided home energy assessment tool that allows customers to easily learn and identify what steps to take to save energy and money. An energy report outlining high risk areas, recommended next steps, available utility rebates, and low-to-no-cost upgrades is provided to the customer. Recordholder: Jill Fredrickson Sponsor: Clay Monroe PAC-E-24-10/Rocky Mountain Power December 10, 2024 IPUC Data Request 12 IPUC Data Request 12 Please describe any updates made to Engine Block Heater measure described in the Company's 2023 Annual Report at 6. Response to IPUC Data Request 12 The Company updated the Engine Block Heater Control measure in mid-2024 to better align with the Regitional Technical Forum (RTF) methodology. Specifically, the measure was updated to incorporate Idaho's Typical Meterorological Year (TMY) data and revised equipment performance curves to accurately reflect the actual performance of the controllers used in this region's territory. Recordholder: Jill Fredrickson Sponsor: Clay Monroe PAC-E-24-10/Rocky Mountain Power December 10, 2024 IPUC Data Request 13 IPUC Data Request 13 Please answer the following questions regarding the 2021-2022 Idaho Wattsmart Homes Program Evaluation Measurement&Verification Report on the Whole Building and Whole Home programs: (a) Please describe the data source(s)used to provide the measure library reference documents for each program. (b) Please describe the data source(s) used to provide program tracking data and claimed savings for each program. (c) Please clarify how REM/Rate output files are used in each program and in the impact evaluation as "Inputs to Evaluated Savings". (d) Please clarify how Ekotrope outputs are used in each program and in the impact evaluation. (e) Please clarify if the evaluation utilized billing data to evaluate actual savings. If not, why not? (f) Please provide a list detailing if and what amount (i.e., number of months)of billing data was available at the time the evaluation was initiated for each Whole Building and Whole Home participant who was issued an incentive in PY2021 and 2022. (g) Please explain if the Company has conducted any internal analysis of the Whole Building and Whole Home programs using billing data from the incentivized constructions. If yes, please provide analysis. If not, why not? (h) Please explain if the REM/Rate modeling documentation supporting the Whole Building and Whole Home incentives provides details on what types of upgrades are being selected to meet energy savings targets. If so,provide a breakdown of upgrade types selected by participants for the 2021 and 2022 program years. Response to IPUC Data Request 13 (a) Regional Technical Forum(RTF). The RTF is a technical advisory committee to the Northwest Power and Conservation Council (NW Council) established in 1999 to develop standards to verify and evaluate energy efficiency (EE) savings. The Unit Energy Savings (UES) also incorporates variables in the data sources and references the savings values established in the measure library. For whole building and whole home the Company uses Residential PAC-E-24-10/Rocky Mountain Power December 10, 2024 IPUC Data Request 13 Energy Modeling (REM)/Rates. (b) The Company's Measure Library is used as the data source, which houses the source documents for measure assumptions. The source documents consist of RTF/UES/and REM/Rates. (c) REM/Rate output files are used for whole building and whole home measures. REM/Rates use Home Energy Rating (HER) software to determine industry standards for HER ratings and home energy analysis/weatherization. (d) Ekotrope outputs are generated from a RESNET-accredited home rater software application and ENERGY STAR® certificates. The Ekotrope files are reviewed to verify that whole building and whole homes measures meet the qualifications documented in the Company's measure library. They are also provided to the evaluator to sample the whole home and whole building measures in the process and impact evaluations. (e) Billing analyses are used where possible and are dependent on the size of the participant population and distribution channels. When the participant population is small (e.g., less than 1,000) or billing data is not available, as for upstream or midstream channels, the evaluator uses an engineering analysis. For measures with a sufficiently large participant population, the evaluator calculates savings using a billing analysis. (f) Billing data for whole building and whole home measures is available from the date of measure inception to the present day. (g) The Company has not conducted an internal billing analysis. Billing analyses are conducted as part of the evaluation process conducted by a third-party evaluator. As stated above, billing analyses are used in measures which have a large participation. REM/Rate are used to analyze building energy consumption and savings in new homes receiving downstream incentives through the program. (h) Using the REM/Rate software, the data output is two building reports for comparison, an economic summary, and compares reference homes for HERs, International Energy Conservation Code, etc. Upgrades are new construction, ENERGY STAR®,New Homes—HERS, and New Homes—ENERGY STAR® for both single and multi-family homes. Recordholder: Alesha Mander Sponsor: Clay Monroe PAC-E-24-10/Rocky Mountain Power December 10, 2024 IPUC Data Request 14 IPUC Data Request 14 On page 14 of its Annual Report, the Company explains that the Company's Wattsmart batteries program passes the Utility Cost Test using a 20-year Net Present Value (NPV). Please answer the following: (a) Please explain the minimum number of years that are needed before the cumulative NPV of the program becomes cost-effective. (b) Please provide the first year in which the program is expected to become cost- effective using a single year NPV. (c) Please describe the assumed measure life of the program. (d) Please describe the types of dispatch the program can call and the associated avoided cost value streams captured by each dispatch type. (e) Please explain how many events of each dispatch type the program has experienced year to date. If a dispatch type has had no events, please explain the conditions that are expected to result in that type of event. Response to IPUC Data Request 14 (a) The first year in which the Wattsmart Batteries Program is expected to be cost effective based on the cumulative net present value (NPV) of estimated benefits and costs is 2029. In the early years of the Wattsmart Batteries Program, the cost effectiveness is similar to an annual analysis in that it consists of only the first year, two years, etc. of NPVs until the Wattsmart Batteries Program builds up such that benefits begin to outweigh the costs. (b) The first year in which the Wattsmart Batteries Program is expected to be cost effective based on annual benefits and costs is 2026. (c) Due to the high upfront costs associated with building demand response (DR) programs, it usually takes multiple years for DR programs to become cost effective. To account for this circumstance in cost effectiveness, DR programs commonly use a multi-year measure life when evaluating costs and benefits. In alignment with this standard practice, the Company used a 20-year measure life for the Wattsmart Batteries Program, which in this case represents the lifetime of the batteries. (d) The Wattsmart Batteries Program is capable of dispatching batteries for frequency response, contingency reserve, and peak load management. The avoided cost value for the Wattsmart Batteries Program is the same for each dispatch type for each program year. Avoided costs for the Wattsmart PAC-E-24-10/Rocky Mountain Power December 10, 2024 IPUC Data Request 14 Batteries Program is provided in Confidential Appendix B of the 2022 and 2023 Annual Demand-Side Management Reports. (e) At this stage of the Wattsmart Batteries Program, the Company is actively dispatching for frequency response events. Year-to-date as of November 30, 2024, there have been 153 dispatched events for frequency response. There were also 61 frequency events in 2023 and eight frequency events in 2022, as reported in the Company's 2022 and 2023 Annual Demand-Side Management Reports. There have been no events called for contingency reserves or peak load management. However, even though the Company is not actively dispatching the batteries for peak load management, this DR activity is naturally occurring based on how the batteries are being utilized. When homes with solar and batteries are not producing enough energy to meet the energy needs of the home, the batteries are automatically utilized to assist in meeting those energy needs. This generally occurs when solar production drops off in the evenings when demand is peaking. During this peak period, batteries are used to reduce demand on the grid. Contingency reserve events are typically called when there is an unexpected loss of generation or transmission on the electric grid and the Company has a fixed period of time to resolve the issue through items such as demand reduction, additional generation, etc. Peak Load events are generally called during summer peak periods if temperatures are extreme or there has been an unexpected loss of generation. Recordholder: Shawn Grant Sponsor: Clay Monroe PAC-E-24-10/Rocky Mountain Power December 10, 2024 IPUC Data Request 15 IPUC Data Request 15 Please provide copies of all invoices and other supporting documentation, such as contracts, incentive requests, approvals, and calculations for the expenses charged to the Demand Side Management listed on Confidential Attachment A. Response to IPUC Data Request 15 Please refer to Attachment IPUC 15. The name of each document coincides with the document numbers listed in columns F or G of both tabs within Confidential Attachment A. Other supporting documents, such as chains of approval, calculations, incentive requests, etc. are embedded within the Company's tracking systems and cannot be generated into a report to provide with this data response. If Idaho Public Utilities Commission (IPUC) staff would like to review these other supporting materials, please contact Mark Alder at(801) 220-2313 to make arrangements for an on-site or virtual review, as has been done for previous prudency audits. Recordholder: Scott Judkins Sponsor: Clay Monroe