(a) Energy efficiency grants

The Secretary is authorized in accordance with the provisions of this section to provide grants to State regulatory authorities in an amount not to exceed $250,000 per authority, for purposes of encouraging demand-side management including energy conservation, energy efficiency and load management techniques and for meeting the requirements of paragraphs (7), (8), and (9) of section 2621(d) of title 16 and as a means of meeting gas supply needs and to meet the requirements of paragraphs (3) and (4) of section 3203(b) of title 15. Such grants may be utilized by a State regulatory authority to provide financial assistance to nonprofit subgrantees of the Department of Energy’s Weatherization Assistance Program in order to facilitate participation by such subgrantees in proceedings of such regulatory authority to examine energy conservation, energy efficiency, or other demand-side management programs.

(b) Plan

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A State regulatory authority wishing to receive a grant under this section shall submit a plan to the Secretary that specifies the actions such authority proposes to take that would achieve the purposes of this section.

(c) Secretarial action

(1) In determining whether, and in what amount, to provide a grant to a State regulatory authority under this section the Secretary shall consider, in addition to other appropriate factors, the actions proposed by the State regulatory authority to achieve the purposes of this section and to consider implementation of the ratemaking standards established in—

(A) paragraphs (7), (8) and (9) of section 2621(d) of title 16; or

(B) paragraphs (3) and (4) of section 3203(b) of title 15.

(2) Such actions—

(A) shall include procedures to facilitate the participation of grantees and nonprofit subgrantees of the Department of Energy’s Weatherization Assistance Program in proceedings of such regulatory authorities examining demand-side management programs; and

(B) shall provide for coverage of the cost of such grantee and subgrantees’ participation in such proceedings.

(d) Recordkeeping

Each State regulatory authority that receives a grant under this section shall keep such records as the Secretary shall require.

(e) “State regulatory authority” defined

For purposes of this section, the term “State regulatory authority” shall have the same meaning as provided by section 2602 of title 16 in the case of electric utilities, and such term shall have the same meaning as provided by section 3202 of title 15 in the case of gas utilities, except that in the case of any State without a statewide ratemaking authority, such term shall mean the State energy office.

(f) Authorization

There are authorized to be appropriated $5,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 1994, 1995 and 1996 to carry out the purposes of this section.