Record No: CB 119632    Version: 1 Council Bill No: CB 119632
Type: Ordinance (Ord) Status: Passed
Current Controlling Legislative Body City Clerk
On agenda: 9/30/2019
Ordinance No: Ord 125957
Title: AN ORDINANCE relating to the City Light Department; granting authority for the Department to offer term-limited pilot programs to study demand response and low-income assistance programs.
Sponsors: Teresa Mosqueda
Attachments: 1. Affidavit of Publication
Supporting documents: 1. Summary and Fiscal Note, 2. Memo - Authorization of City Light’s Pilot Programs, 3. Signed Ordinance 125957
CITY OF SEATTLE
ORDINANCE __________________
COUNCIL BILL __________________
title
AN ORDINANCE relating to the City Light Department; granting authority for the Department to offer term-limited pilot programs to study demand response and low-income assistance programs.
body
WHEREAS, as described in a rate design report dated April 1, 2019 provided in response to Resolution 31819 adopted July 9, 2018, in which Council requested recommendations for an updated rate design, the Department plans to offer new customer rate designs in coming years to further City objectives including affordability and decarbonization; and
WHEREAS, demand response programs promote City decarbonization goals by facilitating integration of new loads from electrification, facilitating more affordable customer rates in long-term; and
WHEREAS, in the near-term, programs to augment and supplement the existing Utility Discount Program can help customers who are experiencing hardship affording their energy bills despite the discounts currently offered; and
WHEREAS, pilot programs studying the potential effect of new rate designs on a small scale provide valuable information about customer behavior before adopting rates widely, thereby informing rate design and helping to avoid unintended financial consequences for customers and/or the utility; and
WHEREAS, the City Council has reviewed the terms and conditions set forth within this ordinance and has determined that the supporting reasoning is sound and prudent; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY OF SEATTLE AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The City Light Department may offer short-term pilot programs testing new approaches in the following two areas for rate design research:
A. Incentives in exchange for the ability to study customer consumption patterns associated with demand response programs such as time-of-use pricing, critical peak pricing or rebates, variable peak pricing, or direct load control. Incentives to curb or shift ...

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