Nevada Energy Choice Alert

Client Alert

Nevada Energy Choice Alert

The Public Utilities Commission of Nevada (“PUCN”) has opened Docket No. 17-10001 to investigate issues of public importance related to the restructuring of the state’s energy industry, as required by the Energy Choice Initiative (the “Initiative”). If passed by Nevada voters for a second time in 2018, the Initiative would amend state law and require that “electricity markets be open and competitive so that all electricity customers are afforded meaningful choice among different providers, and that economic and regulatory burdens be minimized in order to promote competition and choices in the electric energy market.”

The docket was opened at the request of the Governor’s Committee on Energy Choice, and will study the following issues:

• Prospective timeline for implementing the Initiative.
• Possible changes to current Nevada laws, regulations, policies, or energy programs that may be necessary to establish an open and competitive electricity market in Nevada.
• Options reasonably available to Nevada in designing and establishing a wholesale electric service market, including, but not limited to, reliance on existing bilateral markets; establishment of contractual relationships and possible governance structures with multi-state independent system operators (ISO); and/or regional transmission organizations (RTO).
• Options reasonably available to Nevada in designing and establishing a competitive retail electric service market, including, but not limited to, relative pros and cons; the best practices and structure for Nevada; and options for a service provider of last resort.
• Potential short-term and long-term financial benefits and risks to the residents and businesses of Nevada that may be associated with implementing the Initiative and the best strategies for maximizing any benefits (e.g., savings) and mitigating any risks (e.g., costs). 

The significant changes mandated by the Initiative will likely impact all sectors of the state’s energy industry including large energy consumers, energy producers, and wholesale power marketers. Interested or affected persons may submit written comments or materials for consideration in this investigatory docket by December 8, 2017, and any reply comments must be filed by December 29, 2017. The PUCN has scheduled a workshop in this docket for January 9, 2018.

For more information about the potential impact of the Initiative and this PUCN docket on your business or industry, please contact Dan Reaser or Katie Hoffman.