Section 648-4-3 - GAS CONSERVATION PROGRAMSA.Criteria for Conservation ProgramsThe Trust shall seek to encourage efficiency in natural gas use, provide incentives for the development of new, energy-efficient business activity in the State and take into account the costs and benefits of energy efficiency and conservation to existing business activity in the State.
1.Program Design. The Trust shall design and implement conservation programs that: (a) increase consumer awareness of cost-effective options for conserving energy;(b) create more favorable market conditions for the increased use of efficient products and services; and(c) promote sustainable economic development and reduced environmental damage.2.Program Targets. The Trust shall, in the budgets of its Triennial Plan: (a) target a reasonable percentage of available funds to programs for low-income residential consumers, considering these consumers' share of gas load and the cost-effective opportunity available at their homes;(b) target a reasonable percentage of available funds to programs for small business consumers considering these consumers' share of gas load and the cost-effective conservation opportunity available at their businesses; and(c) To the greatest extent practicable, apportion remaining available funds among customer groups and geographic areas in a manner that allows all other customers to have a reasonable opportunity to participate in one or more conservation programs.3.Program Cost Effectiveness. Programs shall meet the cost effectiveness tests established in Section 4. 4.Program Funding Levels. Programs shall be deliverable within the funding level established pursuant to section 5. B.Program Plans. As required by 35-A M.R.S.A. §§10104 and 10111, gas conservation programs shall be implemented as part of and consistent with the Trust's Triennial Plan approved by the Commission. New gas conservation programs and significant changes to existing gas conservation programs shall be filed with the Commission pursuant to 35-A M.R.S.A. §10104 sub-§(4) and sub-§(6). 1.Effect of Commission Approval. The Commission's approval of the Trust's gas conservation program shall be a determination that the program is just and reasonable on the basis of the information available as of the date of approval. The Trust has a continuing obligation to monitor, evaluate and review the program to determine whether the program as implemented is cost effective and whether continuation of the program as approved is reasonable.95- 648 C.M.R. ch. 4, § 3