2025 -- H 5834
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LC001973
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S T A T E O F R H O D E I S L A N D
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025
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H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N
RESPECTFULLY REQUESTING THE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION, OFFICE OF
ENERGY RESOURCES, AND DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT TO
IDENTIFY ISSUES RELATED TO ELECTRIC RATES AND POTENTIAL RATE REFORM
STRATEGIES
Introduced By: Representatives Handy, Cortvriend, McNamara, Boylan, Kislak, Potter,
and Fogarty
Date Introduced: February 28, 2025
Referred To: House Corporations
WHEREAS, Rhode Island General Laws § 42-6.2-8 provides that it is the declared policy 1
of the State that “addressing the impacts on climate change shall be deemed to be within the 2
powers, duties, and obligations of all state departments, agencies, commissions, councils, and 3
instrumentalities, including quasi-public agencies, and each shall exercise among its purposes in 4
the exercise of its existing authority, the purposes set forth in this chapter pertaining to climate 5
change mitigation, adaptation, and resilience in so far as climate change affects its mission, 6
duties, responsibilities, projects, or programs”; and 7
WHEREAS, Existing electric rates jeopardize Rhode Island’s decarbonization goals as 8
they pose a barrier to building and transportation electrification; now, therefore be it 9
RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby 10
respectfully requests the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission (PUC), Office of Energy 11
Resources (OER), and Department of Environmental Management (DEM) to undertake a report 12
with stakeholder participation to identify issues related to current electric rate structure and 13
potential rate reform strategies to ensure electric rates are not a consistent obstacle to Rhode 14
Island’s decarbonization goals. This study shall consider: 15
(1) Rates that accommodate building and transportation electrification, and new loads, 16
and minimize or mitigate impact on ratepayers, especially low- and moderate-income ratepayers; 17
(2) How the 2025 Climate Action Strategy should consider rate reform in their “transition 18
LC001973 - Page 2 of 2
away from fossil fuels” section of their report; and 1
(3) What alternatives Rhode Island’s electric distribution company should propose to 2
their current rate design structure in their next distribution rate case; now, therefore be it 3
RESOLVED, That this House, in order to support building and transportation 4
electrification, hereby requests the PUC, OER, and DEM to report whether new electric rate 5
structures are necessary to meet Act on Climate goals; and be it further 6
RESOLVED, That this House hereby also requests the PUC, OER, and DEM to report 7
their findings and recommendations to the House on or before September 1, 2025; and be it 8
further 9
RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to 10
transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to the Chairman of the Public Utilities 11
Commission, Commissioner of the Office of Energy Resources, and the Director of the 12
Department of Environmental Management. 13
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LC001973
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