Section 31-7-14.1 - Division of Energy and Transportation authorized to establish energy savings incentive program(1) Any agency as defined in this chapter that receives state budgetary consideration and has submitted a detailed energy management plan to the Energy Division of the Department of Economic and Community Development, referred to in this section as "division," as required under Section 57-39-111 shall undertake energy efficiency projects for the purpose of producing energy and/or dollar savings whereby a portion of the savings may be retained by the participating agency. The plan shall describe specific measures to be implemented to reduce the agency's energy consumption by energy unit measure or energy cost. The division shall provide assistance in preparing the detailed energy management plan according to prescribed guidelines and reporting procedures. The plan shall specify a project description of the energy efficiency measures to be undertaken, including, but not limited to, type of measure, cost, estimated savings in dollars and energy units, project and measure location, and terms and conditions of project financing.(2)(a) Utilizing data submitted under Sections 57-39-107 and 57-39-109, the division shall develop and approve energy consumption baselines before project implementation, if feasible, and measure energy consumption after project implementation considering adjustments for any agency growth or reduction and seasonal variances, and calculate total energy savings. The division shall derive a baseline use allocation to be utilized and submitted in each participating agency's annual budget.(b) For purposes of this section, "net savings" and "net revenues" mean any funds remaining after payment of project capital costs, including debt service, and other payments and reserves as required by a bond resolution, loan agreement or other financing agreement and payment of project operating and maintenance expenses.(3) Net savings and net revenues generated from projects shall be apportioned as follows: (a) Any agency initiating energy savings through the implementation of an energy efficiency project may retain one-half (1/2) of all such net savings which may be used for any nonrecurring capital projects; and(b) The remaining net savings and net revenues from conservation projects shall be remitted to the State General Fund. The Energy Division shall verify the net savings and net revenues on an annual basis.
(4) The use by an agency of net savings and net revenues from energy efficiency projects shall be in addition to, and shall not supplant or replace, funding from traditional sources for their normal operations and maintenance or capital budgets. It is the intent of this subsection to ensure that the agencies receive the full benefit intended by this section, and that the effect will not be diminished by budget adjustments inconsistent with this intent. Laws, 1992, ch. 584, § 1; Laws, 1998, ch. 593, § 2; Laws, 2001, ch. 518, § 6, eff. 3/30/2001.