Vermont § 209c - Electricity affordability program

§ 209c. Electricity affordability program

• (a) The Public Utility Commission shall design a proposed electricity affordability program
  in the form of draft legislation. The program shall be developed with the aid of an
  electricity affordability program collaborative. The collaborative, composed of representatives
  from the electric utilities, residential customers, consumer representatives, low-income
  program representatives, representatives from programs for elders, the Department
  of Public Service, the Agency of Human Services, and other stakeholders identified
  by the Commission, shall aid in the development of an electricity affordability program,
  as well as requirements for the implementation and funding of the program. The proposed
  electricity affordability program will be presented to the Vermont General Assembly
  in the form of draft legislation for consideration in January 2007. (b) The proposed electricity affordability program shall provide assistance in the payment
  of electricity bills for eligible low-income residential customers served by electric
  companies subject to the jurisdiction of the Commission. (c) In developing the electricity affordability program, the Commission shall review the
  successes and administrative burdens of similar programs in operation in other states
  and consider the following goals, which shall be afforded equal weight in formulating
  the program: (1) the need to provide payment assistance to low-income customers at and below 150 percent
  of the federal poverty level; (2) the need for automatic screening and enrollment methods of eligible customers by means
  of information obtained from existing means-tested financial assistance programs administered
  by other Vermont agencies, such as food stamps, Medicaid, LIHEAP, or TANF; and (3) the need to design a program that is funded by all customer classes in an equitable
  and reasonable manner and that results in the reimbursement of net incremental costs
  incurred by electric utilities to implement the program, taking into consideration
  the benefits as well as the costs. (Added 2005, No. 208 (Adj. Sess.), § 10a; amended 2013, No. 96 (Adj. Sess.), § 191.)