ALJ/MEG/sid Mailed 1/17/2003
Decision 03-01-006 January 16, 2003
BEFORE THE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
Order Instituting Rulemaking on the Commission's Proposed Policies and Programs Governing Energy Efficiency, Low-Income Assistance, Renewable Energy and Research Development and Demonstration. |
Rulemaking 98-07-037 (Filed July 23, 1998) |
INTERIM OPINION REGARDING MAFI-TRENCH CORPORATION'S
PETITION FOR MODIFICATION OF DECISION 01-03-073
Summary
By Decision (D.) 01-03-073, dated March 27, 2001, the Commission adopted program incentives for demand-responsiveness and self-generation, pursuant to Public Utilities Code Section 399.15(b).1 Today's decision addresses the Petition for Modification of D.01-03-073 (Petition) filed by Mafi-Trench Corporation U.S.A (Mafi-Trench) to include expansion turbines (referred to as "turbo-expanders") in the self-generation incentive program. Turbo-expanders can be used to recover the energy that would otherwise be wasted during the process of stepping down high-pressure natural gas in the gas transmission pipeline to lower pressures for distribution to customers. This waste heat is then used to produce electrical power.
We find that Mafi-Trench's Petition leaves several questions unanswered concerning this technology, and raises several concerns about its inclusion in the incentive program. For this reason, we deny the Petition at this time. However, we afford Mafi-Trench the opportunity to respond to our concerns by answering several questions.
We direct Energy Division to develop recommendations for our consideration concerning the appropriateness of including turbo-expanders within the self-generation program, based on Mafi-Trench's responses to these questions and the comments of interested parties. As discussed in this decision, Energy Division may request additional data from Mafi-Trench and other sources, as appropriate, and consult with members of the Self-Generation Working Group in developing its recommendations. We also direct Energy Division to develop a process for evaluating technologies proposed for inclusion in the self-generation program, for our consideration.
1 D.01-03-073 has subsequently been corrected by D.01-04-048 and modified by D.01-07-028, D.02-02-026, D.02-04-004 and D.02-09-051, in response to petitions for modification. However, none of these modifications have altered the language in D.01-03-073 concerning the issue raised by Mafi-Trench's Petition.
