Colorado PUC joins climate change group

The Colorado Public Utilities Commission has joined the Joint Action Framework on Climate Change (JAFCC).

They join the public utility commissions of California, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington on this body. The JAFCC was created to collaborate and share best management practices on ways to address climate change and decarbonize, develop low-carbon technologies, promote the cost-effective conservation and demand response, and renewable energy resources, and advance regional energy and transmission markets to maximize ratepayer benefits.

“The imperative of climate change compels us to actively look beyond our state borders for opportunities to learn from and collaborate with others. This Joint Action Framework does just that, and underscores the Colorado efforts to modernize and reform our regulatory practices,” Jeffrey Ackermann, Colorado PUC chair, said.

California PUC President Marybel Batjer said Colorado brings a wealth of knowledge and will be a strong partner in developing best management practices in the face of climate change.

“The California, Oregon, Washington, and Nevada commissions are excited to welcome the Colorado Commission to our cooperative effort to promote deployment of cost-effective, reliable, and clean energy resources and infrastructure while recognizing the unique approach of each state to addressing these difficult challenges,” Nevada PUCN Chair Ann Pongracz said.

Washington Commission Chair David Danner said the states are working to identify and implement best practices to address carbon emissions in the utility sector.

“We have already learned much from our collaboration, and with the addition of Colorado we can anticipate even greater success going forward,” Danner said.