May is the final month of MEDSIS (Modernizing the Energy Delivery System for Increased Sustainability) working group meetings. The groups met for the last time from May 14th to16th to finalize the working group report, which will be submitted to the DCPSC on May 31st.
Over the course of 10 months, the six MEDSIS working groups have met a total of 50 times with over 200 individual participants. In total, there will be 32 recommendations and 10 learnings from the working groups.
The public will now have an opportunity to weigh-in on the working groups final report at the June 13th MEDSIS Town Hall Meeting.
Take a closer look at the Commission's unique stakeholder process that included residents, large consumers, developers, and community leaders to engage in identifying a comprehensive approach to modernizing the District's grid.
The DCPSC delivered its annual Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) Report to the D.C. Council on May 1. This report provides information on, among other things:
1. the status of the DCPSC's implementation of the RPS,
2. the number of renewable generators approved to participate in the RPS program,
3. the availability of renewable resources, and
4. the compliance by electricity suppliers that must meet a minimum percentage from using certain renewable resources.
For the 2018 compliance year, 41 electricity suppliers—including Pepco—reported on their compliance status. The total cost of RPS compliance has generally increased over time as the percentage of renewable resources that needs to be used continues to rise.
By 2032, electricity suppliers must provide 100% of their sales from renewable resources. As of April 8, 2019, within the District, there were 4,502 solar energy systems certified for the District’s RPS program, with a capacity of about 64 MW.
The DCPSC held its second Community Hearing on Gas Safety in the District. The hearing allowed Washington Gas Light Company (WGL) to update the public on its recent actions and future plans to address the community concerns about the need for improved public communications articulated during the Commission’s February 6, 2019 Community Hearing on natural gas leaks (Formal Case No. 977).
As a result of the first community hearing, WGL launched on April 1, 2019 their community engagement pilot project, a Community SharePoint Portal, to provide construction updates on Project Pipes for ANC 2e and Ward 5.
Approved by the DCPSC, Project Pipes is Washington Gas’ 40-year accelerated pipeline replacement program, launched in 2014 in the District, that is designed to enhance the safety and reliability of the District's natural gas system. For the past 5 years, Washington Gas has worked to replace aging infrastructure across the city.
Community members in Ward 2 and 5 should contact their Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner or D.C. Councilmember to access the Community Share Point Portal.
The public can provide comments on this issue until May 24th.
Click here to watch the community hearing.
DCPSC Commissioner Greer J. Gillis and staff attended a District of Columbia Power Line Undergrounding (DC PLUG) Open House hosted by Pepco and the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) on May 13, 2019. The open house took place at the Tenleytown-Friendhip Library in Northwest.
During the open house, Pepco and DDOT provided construction updates, timelines and neighborhood impacts about the first feeder, Feeder 308, to be placed underground. Feeder 308 is located in the American University Park, Friendship Heights, and Tenleytown neighborhoods. The construction on Feeder 308 is expected to begin at the end of May, and last for approximately 340 days.
After the open house, DCPSC staff met with affected residents. Pepco and DDOT representatives also answered questions and listened to resident concerns.
DC PLUG is a multiyear initiative focused on the underground placement of up to 30 of the most vulnerable power distribution lines. DC PLUG is expected to improve resiliency and reliability of select feeders.
The Federal Communications Commission brought major changes to the Lifeline program in the District of Columbia. As of May 7, 2019, qualifying low- income customers applying for discounted landline voice telephone service can no longer submit their applications to the D.C. Lifeline Administrator, Solix.
Instead, customers must submit their Lifeline applications to the National Verifier, which is operated by the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC). USAC will now determine eligibility.
Customers may either apply online at CheckLifeline.org/lifeline or submit by U.S. Mail an application to the Lifeline Support Center, PO Box 7081, London, KY 40742.
Lifeline applications may also be obtained by calling Verizon at 1-800-837-4966 or by contacting the DCPSC’s Office of Consumer Services.
Existing Lifeline customers will have their eligibility re-verified soon by USAC. USAC may contact existing Lifeline customers for information to prove eligibility for Lifeline service. Existing Lifeline customers must provide the requested information to USAC in order to keep their Lifeline service.
Chairman Willie L. Phillips testified in support of the Underground Facilities Protection Amendment Act of 2019 before D.C. Council's Business and Economic Development Committee chaired by Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie (Ward 5).
The amendment broadens Call Before You Dig (Dial 811) enforcement authority for underground facilities, such as natural gas and power lines to include the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA). Currently, enforcement authority is limited to the District of Columbia Superior Court.
Chairman Phillips stated in his testimony that, "Natural gas pipeline safety is a top priority for the Commission and an important objective in carrying out our statutory mandate and mission to ensure safe and reliable utility service to all District residents. To that end, the Commission is looking forward to combining its pipeline safety efforts with those of DDOT (District Department of Transportation) and DCRA to further reduce the instances of damages to the District’s underground facilities infrastructure."
To watch the public hearing, click here.
Liberty Consulting Group filed the Final Report of its Management Audit of Washington Gas Light Company’s (WGL) PROJECTpipes Program.
Liberty’s Final Audit Report focuses on the first five years (“PIPES 1 Plan”) of WGL’s proposed 40-year PROJECTpipes Program to address the aging gas pipeline infrastructure in the District.
The DCPSC required that the audit address key elements of the PIPES 1 Plan and project management, including, but not limited to: (1) use of sound engineering judgement; (2) construction integrity, including the quality of installation and construction; (3) accuracy of the cost estimates; (4) reasons for cost overruns; and (5) reasonableness of actual costs.
The DCPSC also required that projects qualifying for funding under a surcharge satisfy the following requirements:
(1) the projects are started on or after June 1, 2014;
(2) the project assets are not included in WGL’s rate base in its most recent rate case;
(3) the projects do not increase revenues by directly connecting the infrastructure replacement to new customers; and
(4) the projects are needed to reduce risk and enhance safety in the gas distribution system.
Through Year 4 of PP1 (i.e. as of September 30, 2018), WGL has replaced approximately 13 miles of mains and 2,959 services at a total cost of $78.1 million. This compares to an original approved 5-year budget of $110 million to replace 38 miles of main and an undetermined number of services.
Interested parties can comment on Liberty’s Final Audit Report (Formal Case No. 1115) by June 10, 2019 and reply comments by June 25, 2019.
DCPSC Chairman Willie L. Phillips was the keynote speaker at the Electric Power Research Institute's (EPRI) inaugural Sustainable Energy Research Summit.
EPRI hosted the summit to explore some of the most pressing topics and questions that energy companies and their stakeholders face as they strive to meet growing expectations around sustainability commitments and performance. The summit focused on technical research for strategic applications.
EPRI is a a non-profit organization that conducts research and development related to the generation, delivery and use of electricity for public benefit.
Congratulations to Senior Consumer Specialist, Margaret Moskowitz on becoming a certified mediator. In her current role, Ms. Moskowitz has been mediating consumer complaints in the DCPSC's Office of Consumers Services since 2006. This month, she completed the required 40 hour basic mediation training to become officially certified.
Each May, Better Hearing & Speech Month (BHSM) provides an opportunity to raise awareness about communication programs and services for individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-blind or have difficulty communicating.
DC Relay/ 711 permits persons with a hearing or speech disability to use the telephone system via a text telephone (TTY) or other device to call persons with or without such disabilities. Traditional relay calls are based on the TTY (also known as a TDD or text telephone).
To make using DC Relay as simple as possible, you can simply dial 711 to be automatically connected to a DC Relay operator. It's fast, functional and free. Dialing 711, both voice and DC Relay users can initiate a call from any telephone, anywhere in the United States.
Hamilton Relay, the District's DC Relay/ 711 service provider, provides traditional relay services for DC residents to accommodate individual calling preferences including TTY, Voice Carry Over (VCO), Hearing Carry Over (HCO), Speech-to-Speech (STS), Spanish-to-Spanish and CapTel®.
Hamilton Relay also offers outreach services to ensure DC residents are aware of DC Relay services, and understand how to use DC Relay when making or receiving calls.
Training is also available to any District agency, business, school or individual to learn how to use DC Relay.
You can contact your D.C. Outreach Coordinator,
Renate Buttrum (renate.buttrum@hamiltonrelay.com) to schedule an outreach or a training.
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