PUC denies motion to respond, moves to rehear Black Hills clean heat plan after objections

Commissioner Eric Blank and the three-member Colorado Public Utilities Commission on March 26 denied a motion for leave to file a response in Black Hills Gas Corp.'s (Black Hills) application for rehearing and signaled a tentative decision to rehear portions of the commission's exceptions decision in proceeding 23A0633G, the company's clean heat plan (CHP) docket.

The matter centers on the commission's earlier exceptions decision (c25091) that upheld a comprehensive settlement with modifications and then limited the use of expanded DSM funding in the CHP to building shell and weatherization measures. Black Hills filed an application for rehearing, reargument or reconsideration (triple-R), arguing the commission's modifications conflict with the plain language of the clean heat statute (cited in the record as 40-1-1026) and contending the decision improperly requires a gas-only utility to fund broad beneficial electrification (BE) programs. An advisory attorney for the commission summarized the company's arguments, noting Black Hills said it would withdraw from the settlement if it did not obtain relief.

Why it matters: The dispute pits the commission's direction to shift…