Renewable gas tariff

(a) Each gas utility in the State shall file a proposed initial renewable gas tariff or tariffs with the public utilities commission by August 31, 2025, to establish appropriate and reasonable rates for renewable gas for customers who choose to receive service under a renewable gas tariff. If the public utilities commission finds that the tariff or tariffs are just, reasonable, and in the public interest, the commission shall establish an initial or revised renewable gas tariff or tariffs no later than nine months after the filing of a completed application for a proposed renewable gas tariff; provided that the renewable gas tariff shall not increase rates for other customers; provided further that all filings shall be in accordance with the Hawaii Administrative Rules. The nine-month period in this subsection shall begin only after a completed application has been filed with the commission and a paper or an electronic copy served on the consumer advocate. The consumer advocate may, within twenty-one days after receipt of the copy, object to the sufficiency of any application, and the commission shall hear and determine any objection within twenty-one days after it is filed . If the commission finds that the objections are without merit, the application shall be deemed to have been completed upon original filing. If the commission finds the application to be incomplete, it shall require the applicant to submit an amended application consistent with its findings, and the nine-month period shall not commence until the amended application is filed. (b) The renewable gas tariff shall be based on eligible customers' net therm usage and as determined by the public utilities commission. (c) For the purposes of this section: "Net therm usage" means the amount of gas a customer uses during a monthly billing period, as measured in therm units. "Renewable gas" means gas produced from non-petroleum feedstock, as defined in section 269-45(b), for use by a gas utility in the State, or as otherwise defined by the public utilities commission by rule or order. "Renewable gas tariff" means a tariff approved by the public utilities commission that allows a gas utility customer to voluntarily purchase renewable gas from a gas utility company.