NERSA consultation paper: Regulatory rules for Energy Efficiency and DemandSide Management [EEDSM]

On 20 June 2010, NERSA published an invitation to stakeholders and the public to comment on its proposed new EEDSM rules. Copies of this invitation together with the relevant Consultation Paper are available on the NERSA website at http://www.nersa.org.za/ as well as here.

The Consultation Paper states that `The first Energy Efficiency and Demand Side Management (EEDSM) Regulatory Rules were published in 2004 with the plan that it shall be reviewed bi-annually. This document will be the first review of EEDSM regulatory Rules since 2004. Energy efficiency and demand-side management has significantly gained in stature in South Africa and has become recognised as one of the most cost-effective ways of meeting the electricity demand and environmental targets’. The paper then describes the Department of Energy (DoE) framework finalised in May 2010 for the development of the necessary rules to give effect to the `Standard Offer’ incentive scheme developed to support the EEDSM programme. A copy of this DoE policy document “Policy to support the Energy Efficiency and Demand Side Management Programme for the Electricity Sector through the Standard Offer Incentive Scheme” is attached to the consultation paper as `Attachment A’. An interesting summary of the proposals was published in an Engineering News Online article published on 24 June 2010, a copy of which is on the AMEU website along with the NERSA documents.

It is just such a pity that a formal document like the consultation paper contains a word such as `Efficiency’ spelt incorrectly in a number of places!

Interested stakeholders have been invited to submit comment by 20 July 2010 to Mr Tebogo Majatladi at 526 Vermeulen Street, Kulawula House, Arcadia, Pretoria or PO Box 40343, Arcadia 0007 Pretoria or email at eedsmrules@nersa.org.za. He may also be contacted at telephone: 012 401 4074 or fax: 012 401 4700.

A public hearing on the matter will also be held on 5 August 2010 with the final rules expected to be approved by the Energy Regulator on 23 September 2010.