RTF Moves to Rescind July Mid-Stream Residential Lighting Decision

At the September 2017 RTF Meeting, the Forum took steps to sure up the reliability of a proposed measure analysis and correct what it believes to be a motion made in error with the passage of a motion to rescind a decision. This motion was brought to the RTF by RTF Vice-Chair Charlie Grist to address what he perceived to be an issue with last-minute adjustments made to a July RTF decision.

At the July 2017 meeting, the RTF voted to approve the measure analysis for a new non-residential lighting, mid-stream UES. Mid-stream measures aim at developing savings estimates in cases where the program offering the incentive on a product is intervening early on, and is not sure where that product will end up. Thus, program implementers have no information on the baseline product, or rather the product being replaced. As a mid-stream measure, the proposed analysis involved a complex set of interwoven assumptions aimed at developing a likely distribution of products being replaced in the baseline based on competing products. As part of the motion to approve the proposed measure analysis, the RTF asked staff to make a last-minute update to an assumption in this portion of the analysis, which was the topic of a great deal of discussion during the meeting. Unfortunately, prior to the meeting the RTF did not have adequate time to consider this portion of the analysis, other related portions of the analysis, or the potential ripple effects of making a change. Further detail on the math and rationale behind this decision can be found in the decision memo from September, here. 

Vice-Chair Grist was initially in favor of, and advocated for altering the proposed analysis as a means to rectify the concerns raised by RTF members. After ruminating on the potential effects of this last minute change, Grist decided the alteration created an unreasonable assumption for a mid-stream measure, and that the RTF needed more time to consider the complexities of the analysis to make a more informed decision.

At the September meeting, the RTF voted in favor of Grist’s motion to rescind the July decision, directing the measure to be reconsidered by the Contract Analyst Team, RTF Members, and the pertinent subcommittee, before being brought back to the full RTF at a later date.