WAC 194-22-020   Definitions.  "Base billing period" is one of the billing periods comprising the base year. Base billing period data may be weather-normalized at each utility's discretion before being used to calculate the amount of curtailment required by consumers.

     "Base year" is the period from which required curtailment is calculated. It is normally the twelve-month period immediately preceding imposition of state-initiated load curtailment.

     "Critical load consumer" includes consumers that supply essential services relating to public health, safety, welfare, or energy production, and includes but is not limited to those consumers listed in RCW 43.21G.030.

     "Curtailment" means electric load reduction, irrespective of the means by which that reduction is achieved.

     "Curtailment target" is the maximum amount of energy that a consumer may use and still remain in compliance with the state curtailment request or order; the curtailment target is figured individually for each consumer.

     "Direct service industries" means industries, primarily aluminum plants, that receive electric power directly from the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA).

     "Excess power consumption" is that amount of electric energy consumed during any billing period which is above the consumer's calculated curtailment target. It is calculated as one of two values:

     *Actual or estimated load minus curtailment target; or

     *Weather-normalized load minus curtailment target. Under mandatory curtailment, if a consumer's electric energy consumption exceeds the threshold consumption level, all excess power consumption is subject to penalty unless exempted (see WAC 194-22-110, mandatory curtailment enforcement).

     "General use customer" refers to any nonresidential consumer who purchased and consumed five average megawatts or less during the base year.

     "Major use consumer" refers to any consumer who purchased and consumed over five average megawatts during the base year.

     "Minimum audit level" is the minimum percentage of consumers in each consuming sector that must be audited each billing period under mandatory curtailment. The minimum audit level is set by the state and subject to change.

     "Region" includes the states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and those portions of Montana that are west of the continental divide and/or within the control area of the Montana Power Company.

     "Regional curtailment plan for electric energy, May 22, 1992" is the model document on which this plan is based. The regional curtailment plan for electric energy and appendices are a policy document the state will use to guide implementation of this plan. Where there are discrepancies, this chapter applies.

     "Regional load" is the electric load placed by ultimate consumers within the region on their respective utility suppliers.

     "State" means the department of community, trade, and economic development. Other state agencies which may participate in curtailment activities include: The office of the governor; the utilities and transportation commission; and the joint senate and house energy and utilities committee established during energy emergencies.

     "State contacts" refers to individuals who represent the state of Washington in connection with curtailment issues.

     "State-initiated" refers to actions taken by the state to implement load curtailment.

     "Threshold consumption level" is the maximum amount of energy that a consumer can use during mandatory load curtailment without being subject to enforcement measures (see WAC 194-22-110, mandatory curtailment enforcement) taken under this plan. The threshold consumption level is set by the state and subject to change.

     "Utility contacts" refers to individuals representing utilities in connection with curtailment issues.

     "Utility coordinator" is the director of the northwest power pool.

     "Utility curtailment reports" are reports summarizing curtailment data, which must be submitted monthly to the state and the utility coordinator. Reporting requirements are provided by the state to utilities.

     "Weather-normalization" is the procedure used to reflect the impact of weather on utility load levels, sometimes referred to as "weather-adjustment."



[Statutory Authority: RCW 43.21F.045. 99-21-008, § 194-22-020, filed 10/8/99, effective 11/8/99; 94-20-103, § 194-22-020, filed 10/4/94, effective 11/4/94.]