VPPSA Partners with Bellawatt to Accelerate and Expand Electrification Access for Rural Customers
Upholding Local Energy Democracy in Vermont
WATERBURY CENTER, VT - February 21, 2024 – This week, the Vermont Public Power Supply (VPPSA) announced it has partnered with Bellawatt, to build a seamless tool that simplifies the electrification journey for customers. The web-based platform will enable VPPSA members to offer a special rate for customers who install and use Electric Vehicles/Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EV/EVSE) at their homes or businesses and increase adoption of electric vehicles in its member utilities’ service territories.
Advancing Grid Modernization
Utilities, energy market participants, and regulators continuously evaluate the electric grid’s design, capacity, and interoperability to support thriving markets and reliability. In Vermont, grid modernization and gride-edge systems are particularly important as the number of distributed energy and inverter-based resources continues to grow, meeting the State's Renewable Energy Standard and Greenhouse Gas Reduction goals.
In short, the energy and electric utility industry are navigating inherent challenges of grid modernization and market evolution. VPPSA’s members are uniquely positioned to leapfrog traditional approaches to rate design and flexible load management while upholding their core values of local energy democracy, affordability, and sustainability.
Innovative Approaches for Long-Term Solutions
VPPSA’s work with Bellawatt intends to implement an innovative, market-informed, EV/EVSE tariff structure that meets the requirements of Act 55, promotes customer choice, and establishes the technology infrastructure necessary to support future expansion.
Section 33 of Act 55 (H.433), signed by the Governor on June 3, 2021, requires Vermont's "...electric distribution utilities to offer PEV rates for public and private EVSE [no] later than June 30, 2024." While there are many paths to meeting the Legislative mandate, VPPSA and its member utilities have an opportunity to leverage the IT/OT convergence of grid modernization to deliver a dynamic, cutting-edge rate solution that demonstrates the capabilities of affordable, market-based energy services.
Currently under review by the Public Utility Commission (PUC), VPPSA’s Petition for approval of a proposed EV/EVSE tariff rider program was filed October 16, 2023 under Case No. 23-3604-PET in Vermont's ePUC system.
Empowering Customers for a Clean Energy Future
"VPPSA is committed to providing services and solutions to Vermont’s municipal and cooperative electric utilities that help them address today’s rapidly changing environment. We are excited to partner with Bellawatt, to create a platform that will enhance the customer experience and accelerate the adoption of EVs and other clean energy technologies," said Ken Nolan, General Manager of VPPSA.
"Bellawatt is thrilled to work with VPPSA, a visionary organization that puts the public in public power. We share the same mission of empowering customers to make informed decisions about their energy use and supporting the transition to a low-carbon future. We look forward to launching the platform that will enable VPPSA members to offer a competitive and innovative rate program for electric vehicle charging," said Eugene Granovsky, CEO and co-founder of Bellawatt.
About Vermont Public Power Supply Authority
#CommunityIsAtTheHeart - From powering homes to powering small towns, VPPSA member utilities have helped keep Vermont running for over 100 years. VPPSA provides services and solutions to municipal and cooperative electric utilities serving over 30,000 customers in 50 Vermont communities. VPPSA's members power thriving local economies and support the move to a cleaner and more distributed electric grid by providing affordable and reliable electric service to all customers. For more information about how Community is at the Heart of VPPSA, visit www.vppsa.com.
About Bellawatt
Bellawatt is a software and product management firm that works with energy companies to create, automate, and improve customer journeys. Bellawatt has worked with utilities including PG&E, Con Edison, and Tucson Electric Power; and private energy companies including Scale Microgrids and Sunrun.
For a recent example, Bellawatt partnered with New Hampshire Electric Cooperative to launch an innovative Transactive Energy Rate program that attracted companies such as Fermata and GM Energy. For more information about Bellawatt, visit www.bellawatt.com.