Conn. Gen. Stat. § 16-19f: Rate design standards for electric public service companies and municipal electric companies. Determination of appropriateness. Time-varying rates. Implementation. Electric vehicle charging stations.

(a) As used in this section and section 16-243n:

(1) “Cost of service” means an electric utility rate for a class of consumer which is designed, to the maximum extent practicable, to reflect the cost to the utility in providing electric service to such class;

(2) “Declining block rate” means an electric utility rate for a class of consumer that prices successive blocks of electricity consumed by such consumer at lower per-unit prices;

(3) “Time-varying rate” means an electric utility rate for a class of consumer that is designed to (A) reflect the cost to the utility of providing electricity to such consumer at different times, and (B) create a price differential that incentivizes targeted electric load growth and system efficiency, which may include critical peak pricing;

(4) “Seasonal rate” means an electric utility rate for a class of consumer designed to reflect the cost to the utility in providing electricity to such consumer during different seasons of the year;

(5) “Electric vehicle charging station” means an electric component assembly or cluster of component assemblies designed specifically to charge batteries within electric vehicles by permitting the transfer of electric energy to a battery or other storage device in an electric vehicle;

(6) “Public electric vehicle charging station” means an electric vehicle charging station located at a publicly available parking space;

(7) “Publicly available parking space” means a parking space that has been designated by a property owner or lessee to be available to, and accessible by, the public and may include on-street parking spaces and parking spaces in surface lots or parking garages, but shall not include: (A) A parking space that is part of, or associated with, a private residence; (B) a parking space that is reserved for the exclusive use of an individual driver or vehicle or for a group of drivers or vehicles, such as employees, tenants, visitors, residents of a common interest development, or residents of an adjacent building; or (C) a parking space reserved for persons who are blind and persons with disabilities as described in section 14-253a;

(8) “Load management techniques” means cost-effective techniques used by an electric utility to reduce the maximum kilowatt demand on the utility's system or shift the demand to maximize electric grid efficiency, as determined by the authority;

(9) “On-peak” means a period likely to capture the regional independent system operator and electric distribution system peaks or to incentivize the cost-effective shifting of load to maximize grid efficiency, as determined by the authority;

(10) “Critical peak” means a period when system costs are highest or when the power grid is severely stressed and electric customers may pay higher prices as a result of such stress; and

(11) “Default rate” means the electric utility rate in which a consumer is enrolled at the start of service if the consumer does not specify a preferred rate.

(b) Not later than October 1, 2027, the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority shall, with respect to each electric public service company, initiate a docket or dockets for the purpose of evaluating applications submitted by the electric distribution companies for the implementation of time-varying rates for residential and commercial customers. The authority may implement such rates after public notice and hearing. Such hearing may be held concurrently with a hearing required pursuant to subsection (b) of section 16-19e. Upon submission of proposed time-varying rates by each electric distribution company, the authority shall evaluate whether it is appropriate to implement any time-varying rate. Said determination shall be in writing, shall take into consideration the evidence presented at the hearing and shall be available to the public. A time-varying rate shall be deemed to be appropriate for implementation if such rate is in the best interest of ratepayers. The authority shall consider (1) if the benefits of the rate exceed the costs of implementing such rate, including, but not limited to, any capital investments necessary to implement such rate, (2) if such implementation would encourage energy conservation, optimal and efficient use of facilities and resources by an electric public service company, (3) equitable rates for electric consumers approved by the authority, and (4) any other considerations the authority deems appropriate to determine whether such rate is in the best interest of the ratepayers.

(c) Each municipal electric company shall (1) not later than July 1, 2018, consider and determine whether it is appropriate to implement any of the following rate design standards: (A) Cost of service; (B) prohibition of declining block rates; (C) time of day rates; (D) seasonal rates; (E) interruptible rates; and (F) load management techniques, and (2) not later than June 1, 2017, consider and determine whether it is appropriate to implement electric vehicle time of day rates for residential and commercial customers. The consideration of said standards by each municipal electric company shall be made after public notice and hearing. Each municipal electric company shall make a determination on whether it is appropriate to implement any of said standards. Said determination shall be in writing, shall take into consideration the evidence presented at the hearing and shall be available to the public. A standard shall be deemed to be appropriate for implementation if such implementation would encourage energy conservation, optimal and efficient use of facilities and resources by a municipal electric company and equitable rates for electric consumers. No municipal electric company that completed such consideration and determination regarding any rate design standard or electric vehicle time of day rate before July 1, 2017, shall be required to conduct another consideration and determination regarding the same such rate design standard or electric vehicle time of day rate.

(d) The Public Utilities Regulatory Authority, with respect to each electric public service company, and each municipal electric company may implement any standard determined under subsection (b) of this section to be appropriate or decline to implement any such standard. If the authority or a municipal electric company declines to implement any standard determined to be appropriate, it shall state in writing its reasons for doing so and make such statement available to the public.

(e) The provisions of this section shall not apply to any municipal electric company which has total annual sales of electricity for purposes other than resale of five hundred million kilowatt-hours or less.