Ads for The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department Of Public Utilities in Boston, MA

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts _________ DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC UTILITIES NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING AND REQUEST FOR COMMENTS D.P.U. 21-78 August 20, 2021 Petition of The Berkshire Gas Company for approval of a mid-term modification of its 2019-2021 Three Year Energy Efficiency Plan. ____________________________ On June 30, 2021, The Berkshire Gas Company ("Company") filed a petition with the Department of Public Utilities ("Department") seeking a mid term modification of its 2019-2021 Three Year Energy Efficiency Plan approved by the Department in 2019-2021 Three-Year Energy Efficiency Plans, D.P.U. 18-110 through D.P.U. 18-119 (2019). The Department docketed this matter as D.P.U. 21-78. The Company proposes an increase of $3,978,974 to its Residential Existing Buildings Program budget. The Company seeks to recover these costs through its residential energy efficiency surcharge that is collected as part of its local distribution adjustment clause tariff, M.D.P.U. No. 528. The Company maintains that the proposed mid-term modification is needed in order to meet an unexpected increase in demand for its Residential Existing Buildings Program (in particular, customer demand for weatherization and heating systems measures) and to meet increased costs incurred in relation to the COVID 19 pandemic. On May 26, 2021, the Energy Efficiency Advisory Council passed a resolution supporting the Company's proposal. If the Department approves the mid-term modification and associated budget as proposed, the Company states that residential and low-income customers will experience the following bill impacts. Average residential heating customers using 116 therms of gas per month in winter will experience a monthly bill increase of $7.03 (or 4.15 percent). Average residential low income heating customers using 105 therms of gas per month in winter will experience a monthly bill increase of $5.17 (or 4.10 percent). Commercial and industrial customers will not experience bill impacts related to the Company's proposal. Due to certain ongoing safety measures and precautions relating to in person events as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department will conduct a virtual public hearing to receive comments on the Company's filing. The Department will conduct the public hearing using Zoom videoconferencing on Thursday, October 7, 2021, beginning at 2:00 p.m. Attendees can join by entering the link, https://zoom.us/j/91584308554 from a computer, smartphone, or tablet. No prior software download is required. For audio only access to the hearing, attendees can dial in at (646) 558-8656 or (301) 715-8592 (not toll free) and then enter the Meeting ID# 915 8430 8554. If you anticipate providing comments via Zoom during the public hearing, please send an email by Monday, October 4, 2021, to sarah.smegal@mass.gov with your name, email address, and mailing address. If you anticipate commenting by telephone, please leave a voicemail message by Monday, October 4, 2021, at (617) 305-3653 with your name, telephone number, and mailing address. Any person interested in commenting on the Company's filing may also submit written comments to the Department no later than the close of business (5:00 p.m.) on Friday, October 8, 2021. At this time, all filings will be submitted only in electronic format consistent with the Commission's June 15, 2021 directive related to modified filing requirements. Ordinarily, all parties would follow Sections B.1 and B.4 of the Department's Standard Ground Rules (D.P.U. 15-184 A, App. 1 (March 4, 2020)); however, until further notice, parties must retain the original paper version and the Department will later determine when the paper version must be filed with the Department Secretary. On July 20, 2021, the Attorney General of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts filed a notice to intervene in this matter pursuant to G.L. c. 12, 11E(a). Any other person who desires to participate in the evidentiary phase of this proceeding shall file a petition for leave to intervene no later than 5:00 p.m. on Monday, September 20, 2021. A petition for leave to intervene must satisfy the timing and substantive requirements of 220 CMR 1.03. Receipt by the Department, not mailing, constitutes filing and determines whether a petition has been timely filed. A petition filed late may be disallowed as untimely, unless good cause is shown for waiver under 220 CMR 1.01(4). To be allowed, a petition under 220 CMR 1.03(1) must satisfy the standing requirements of G.L. c. 30A, 10. All responses to petitions to intervene must be filed by the close of business (5:00 p.m.) on the second business day after the petition to intervene was filed. All documents must be submitted to the Department in .pdf format by e-mail attachment to dpu.efiling@mass.gov and sarah.smegal@mass.gov The text of the e mail must specify: (1) the docket number of the proceeding (D.P.U. 21-78); (2) the name of the person or company submitting the filing; and (3) a brief descriptive title of the document. The electronic file name should identify the document but should not exceed 50 characters in length. Importantly, all large files submitted must be broken down into electronic files that do not exceed 20 MB. All documents submitted in electronic format will be posted on the Department's website through our online File Room as soon as practicable (enter "21-78") at: https://eeaonline.eea.state.ma.us/ DPU/Fileroom/dockets/bynumber In addition, one copy of all written comments and petitions to intervene should be emailed to the Company's attorney, Jodi K. Hanover, Esq., Rich May, P.C., at jhanover@richmaylaw.com At this time, a paper copy of the filing will not be available for public viewing at the Company's offices or the Department due to certain ongoing safety measures and precautions relating to in person events as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The filing and all subsequent related documents, pleadings and/or filings submitted to the Department and/or issued by the Department will be available on the Department's website as referenced above as soon as is practicable. To the extent a person or entity wishes to submit comments or intervene in accordance with this Notice, electronic submission, as detailed above, is sufficient. To request materials in accessible formats for people with disabilities (Braille, large print, electronic files, audio format), contact the Department's ADA coordinator at DPUADACoordinator@mass.gov For further information regarding the Company's filing, please contact the Company's attorney, identified above. For further information regarding this Notice, please contact Sarah A. Smegal, Hearing Officer, Department of Public Utilities, at sarah.smegal@mass.gov AD# 59605