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GoVErnMEnT WATCh Submetering moves partially Ahead T he Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority has pre- liminarily approved subme- tering at multi-unit developments but held off on making a decision that would impact the installation of renewable energy at these sites. In mid-July, PURA ruled that owners of commercial and residen- tial properties can place electric meters on tenants' units, in order to charge them for their exact power usage. Previously, landlords were not allowed to submeter and had to charge tenants the same flat rate re- gardless of whether they conserved energy or used it in excess. "The ruling is a tremendous step in the right direction," said Frederick Klein, partner at Hartford law firm Pullman & Comley, who deals with energy and submetering legal issues. "Previously, there was absolutely no incentive for people to con- serve." PURA's initial ruling — which still must be finalized, fol- lowing a public comment period — comes after the state legislature passed a law in 2013 calling for sub- metering to be legal at commercial and residential developments. Before the law, submetering was allowed only at campgrounds and marinas. In its decision, PURA declined to include developments that have their own onsite power generation, such as a fuel cell or solar array. A separate ruling on that more complex topic is expected sometime around December. That delay means Bruce Becker, who has advocated for submetering for four years, will have to wait to News Cycle Power Grid Launching New Website regional power grid administrator iSo new England is launching a new website in August to make its real-time, short-term, and long- term data on the market more easily accessible for the public. The redesigned iso-ne.com gives users a new navigation designed to simplify the public documents produced by the iSo, which includes the capability of all the region's power plants, electricity pricing for the region, and an- ticipated demand for the grid. The new site also upgrades the graphics, color scheme, and fonts to make the information more user-friendly. The last update to the iSo website came in 2005, and the grid administrator wanted to make the site friendlier for social media and videos. The information from the iSo Express site, which includes real-time demand, pric- ing, and fuel mix, will be presented on the iso-ne.com homepage. Government Grades by Brad Kane NoT ShARiNg SoLAR — After looking like it was going to pass the measure, the Connecticut legislature derailed at the last minute a provision that would allow renters and property owners to benefit from nearby solar systems without having to install their own. For all the progressive solar programs passed in the past three years, this one should have been a no-brainer. LoST NATURAL gAS — PurA launched a docket looking into how to make natural gas utilities accountable for what leaks out of their distribution system, which is harmful to the atmosphere and costly to ratepayers. Connecticut's natural gas utilities perform better than the national average in preventing and sealing leaks, but this is an important step as the natural gas system expands. grade: F grade: A- 10 ConneCTiCuT Green Guide • Fall 2014 www.CTGreenGuide.com ISO New England operates out of Holyoke, Mass. and a backup Windsor facility. PhoTo | hBJ File