Chapter PSC 118

PSC 118.06(2)(cm)3. 3. Its estimated annual amount of displaced conventional electricity.

PSC 118.06(2)(cm)4. 4. Any additional data the commission considers necessary for proper operation of the tracking system.

PSC 118.06(2)(d) (d) Establish and maintain a system for tracking renewable energy certificates and RRCs that does all of the following:

PSC 118.06(2)(d)1. 1. Issues a unique electronic certificate for each MWh of renewable energy measured at the bus bar of a certified renewable facility that is located in the area covered by the tracking system, that is owned by a participating electric provider, or that is under contract to deliver electric energy to a participating electric provider. The certificate shall identify which certified renewable facility produced the MWh, when it was produced, and any other characteristics the commission finds necessary.

PSC 118.06(2)(d)1m. 1m. Issues a unique electronic certificate for each MWh of conventional electricity displaced by a certified displacement facility that complies with ss. PSC 118.03 and 118.04, as calculated under s. PSC 118.09. The certificate shall identify which displacement facility displaced the MWh, when the facility operated, and any other characteristics the commission finds necessary.

PSC 118.06(2)(d)2. 2. Records renewable energy certificate and RRC ownership and each transfer between account holders.

PSC 118.06(2)(d)3. 3. Retires each renewable energy certificate and RRC that meets any of the following circumstances:

PSC 118.06(2)(d)3.a. a. An electric provider uses the renewable energy certificate or RRC to meet all or part of its minimum percentage requirement under s. 196.378 (2) (a), Stats.

PSC 118.06(2)(d)3.b. b. An electric provider chooses to retire the renewable energy certificate or RRC for any other reason.

PSC 118.06(2)(e) (e) Audit registered renewable facilities, as needed, to verify the accuracy of metered production data.

PSC 118.06(2)(em) (em) Audit registered displacement facilities, as needed, to verify the amount of displaced conventional electricity.

PSC 118.06(2)(f) (f) Track and report each electric provider’s compliance with the minimum percentage requirement under s. 196.378 (2) (a), Stats.

PSC 118.06(2)(g) (g) Perform any other function the commission may designate.

PSC 118.06(3) (3) The program administrator may create an exchange procedure for purchasing and selling renewable energy certificates and RRCs.

PSC 118.06(4) (4) 

PSC 118.06(4)(a) (a) Annually, the program administrator shall report to the commission the costs incurred in operating the renewable energy tracking system and recommend an assessment of these costs to electric providers and other tracking system participants that hold tracking system accounts.

PSC 118.06(4)(b) (b) The commission shall review the cost allocation that the program administrator proposes under par. (a) and approve or modify this allocation. The commission shall assess these costs to each electric provider, pursuant to s. 196.85 (1) and (1m) (a), Stats.

PSC 118.06(5) (5) An electric provider may not use renewable energy from a decertified renewable facility to meet the electric provider’s minimum percentage requirement under s. 196.378 (2) (a), Stats., that was produced after the facility is decertified. The program administrator may not issue RRCs for energy from a decertified renewable facility that was produced after the facility is decertified. The program administrator may not issue RRCs for conventional electricity displaced by the operation of a decertified displacement facility which displacement occurred after the facility is decertified.

PSC 118.06 History History: CR 00-065: cr. Register July 2001, No. 547 eff. 8-1-01; CR 06-112: (5) renum. from PSC 118.05 (6) and am., am. (1) and (4) (a), r. and recr. (2), Register May 2007 No. 617, eff. 6-1-07; CR 10-47: am. (title), renum. (1) to be (1) (intro.) and am., cr. (1) (a), (b), am. (2) (b), (c) (intro.), 5., cr. (2) (cm), am. (2) (d) (intro.), cr. (2) (d) 1m., am. (2) (d) 2. 3., a., r. and recr. (2) (d) 3. b., r. (2) (d) 3. c., cr. (2) (em), am. (3), (4) (a), (5) Register March 2012 No. 675, eff. 4-1-12; CR 13-040: am. (2) (b), (c) 1., (cm) (intro.), 1., (d) 1m., (em), (5) Register April 2014 No. 700, eff. 5-1-14.

PSC 118.07 PSC 118.07 Aggregation and allocation by wholesale suppliers. If a wholesale supplier aggregates and allocates renewable energy, renewable energy certificates or RRCs among its members or customers, it shall do so in a manner approved by the affected members or customers.

PSC 118.07 History History: CR 06-112: cr. Register May 2007 No. 617, eff. 6-1-07; CR 10-147: am. Register March 2012 No. 675, eff. 4-1-12.

PSC 118.08 PSC 118.08 Double-counting prohibited.

PSC 118.08(1) (1) An electric provider that sells or conveys a MWh of renewable energy, a renewable energy certificate or a RRC at wholesale may not use that MWh, renewable energy certificate or RRC to meet its minimum percentage requirement under s. 196.378 (2) (a), Stats.

PSC 118.08(2) (2) If an electric provider sells or conveys a MWh of renewable energy, a renewable energy certificate or a RRC at retail to a customer or member that retains independent control over the disposition or retirement of the renewable energy certificate, RRC or other renewable attributes representing that MWh of renewable energy, the electric provider may not use that MWh, renewable energy certificate, or RRC to meet its minimum percentage requirements under s. 196.378 (2) (a), Stats.

PSC 118.08(3) (3) An electric provider or customer or member of an electric provider may not create RRCs for displaced conventional electricity based on the use of a facility for which RRCs are created under s. 196.378 (3) (a) 1., Stats.

PSC 118.08(4) (4) An electric provider or customer or member of an electric provider may not create RRCs for displaced conventional electricity based on hydroelectric energy for which an electric provider is permitted to use the average amount of hydroelectric power generated by the facility under s. 196.378 (2) (b) 1m. a., Stats.

PSC 118.08 History History: CR 06-112: cr. Register May 2007 No. 617, eff. 6-1-07; CR 10-147: renum. 118.08 to be 118.08 (1) and am., cr. (2) Register March 2012 No. 675, eff. 4-1-12; CR 13-040: cr. (3), (4) Register April 2014 No. 700, eff. 5-1-14; corrections in (1), (2) made under s. 35.17, Stats., Register April 2014 No. 700.

PSC 118.09 PSC 118.09 Calculation of displaced conventional electricity.

PSC 118.09(1) (1) For purposes of this section:

PSC 118.09(1)(a) (a) “Total statewide renewable energy percentage” means the percentage that results from the equation of subd. 1. divided by subd. 2. as shown below:

PSC 118.09(1)(a)1. 1. The actual renewable energy sold to Wisconsin retail customers within a given year using information submitted to the commission by electric providers in their most recent renewable portfolio standard compliance reports under s. 196.378 (2) (c), Stats., including actual renewable energy used to serve all of the following programs:

PSC 118.09(1)(a)1.a. a. Wisconsin electric provider renewable portfolio standard programs.

PSC 118.09(1)(a)1.b. b. Any other federal or state renewable energy programs that apply to Wisconsin electric providers.

PSC 118.09(1)(a)1.c. c. Wisconsin electric provider voluntary renewable energy programs.

PSC 118.09(1)(a)2. 2. The total sales of electricity to Wisconsin retail customers in that same year using information submitted to the commission by electric providers in their most recent renewable portfolio standard compliance reports under s. 196.378 (2) (c), Stats.

PSC 118.09(1)(b) (b) “Total statewide conventional energy percentage” means the percentage that results from the equation of 100% minus the total statewide renewable energy percentage.

PSC 118.09(1m) (1m) For each calendar year, the commission shall determine the total statewide conventional energy percentage for purposes of calculating the amount of RRCs per MWh to be created for displaced conventional electricity. The commission shall make this determination the calendar year before the calendar year in which the percentage will be used. The commission may, by order, also establish a different percentage for a specific type of displacement facility if its seasonal or daily operating characteristics justify a percentage that differs from the annual average percentage.

PSC 118.09 Note Note: For example, the commission will determine the 2016 total statewide renewable energy percentage in 2015 using information taken from electric provider reports, filed with the commission by April 15, 2015, that reflect renewable energy sold to Wisconsin retail customers in the calendar year of 2014.

PSC 118.09(2) (2) The commission may, by order, establish a displacement formula for any type of displacement facility. The commission shall base any such formula on a calculation of the minimum amount of displaced electricity that would be expected in a typical calendar year under realistic operating conditions. The commission shall provide an opportunity for public comment on any such formula before the formula is established.

PSC 118.09(3) (3) For each calendar year, the electric provider, customer, or member seeking to create RRCs from a certified displacement facility shall determine the net amount of electricity displaced by the displacement facility, using site-specific information and either the applicable formula established under sub. (2) or by subtracting the amount of electricity used by the displacement facility from the amount of electricity that would have been used for the same purposes by the electric device or electric service that was replaced by the displacement facility or that was used less due to the use of the displacement facility.

PSC 118.09(4) (4) If the value under sub. (3) is less than zero, the electric provider, customer, or member may not create any RRCs for the displacement facility for that calendar year.

PSC 118.09(5) (5) The amount of conventional electricity displaced by a displacement facility in a calendar year is equal to the net amount of displaced electricity determined under sub. (3), multiplied by the applicable total statewide conventional energy percentage as determined under sub. (1m).

PSC 118.09(6) (6) The electric provider, customer, or member creating RRCs from a displacement facility shall maintain at least three years of historical documentation of all information used in the determination made under sub. (3).

PSC 118.09(7) (7) For each displacement facility for which an electric provider, customer, or member is creating RRCs, the electric provider, customer, or member shall submit information to the commission to support its determination under sub. (3) at least annually. The commission may specify the timing and method for submitting information under this subsection. Determinations under sub. (3) are subject to the commission’s review and verification.

PSC 118.09 History History: CR 10-147: cr. Register March 2012 No. 675, eff. 4-1-12; CR 13-040: am. (1) to (7) Register April 2014 No. 700, eff. 5-1-14; CR 14-053: renum. (1) to (1m) and am., cr. (1), am. (5) Register April 2015 No. 712, eff. 5-1-15; correction in (1) (b) (intro.) made under s. 35.17, Stats., Register April 2015 No. 712.