Electric Utility Restructuring and Its Impact on EnergyEfficiency and Measurement and Evaluation:Two Unfinished Stories (California and South Korea)

摘要

This paper describes the experience of electric utility restructuring and its impact onenergy efficiency in California and the Republic of Korea (Korea). The California case studyfocuses on the legislative and regulatory response to electric restructuring in promoting energyefficiency. After describing the early regulatory history of utilities in California, we review keydecisions affecting energy efficiency and measurement and evaluation (M&E) – e.g., the creationof a public goods charge (PGC), the administration and implementation of PGC-funded energyefficiency programs, the role of utilities and third parties in implementing such programs, and therole of M&E. We show how one event (the Energy Crisis of 2001) can have a major impact onthe type of energy efficiency programs that get implemented (e.g., resource acquisition versusmarket transformation). We also describe how California's PGC-funded energy efficiencyprograms relate to the integrated resource planning activities recently reactivated for theinvestor-owned utilities in California.The second part of the paper describes how Korea has restructured its energy industry,has created a PGC, and is developing programs for promoting energy efficiency, as well assetting aside funds for M&E. Korea will not be emulating the California experience, but will tryto learn from California's experience in developing the necessary infrastructure for promotingenergy efficiency in a country that has historically been supply-side oriented.