Best Practice Guide

Glossary

Introduction

Planning an Energy Program

Funding and Approval

Education

Lighting

Central HVAC System

Procurement Policy

Building Envelope

Demand Response

Distributed Generation

Water Use

Motors

Food Service

Resources and Appendices

Lessons Learned

Best Practice Guide Glossary

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EMBEDDED COSTS EXCEEDING MARKET PRICES (ECEMP) Return to list of terms

Embedded costs of utility investments exceeding market prices are: 1) costs incurred pursuant to a regulatory or contractual obligation; 2) costs that are reflected in cost-based rates; and 3) cost-based rates that exceed the price of alternatives in the marketplace. ECEMPS may become "stranded costs" where they exceed the amount that can be recovered through the asset's sale. Regulatory questions involve whether such costs should be recovered by utility shareholders and if so, how they should be recovered. "Transition costs" are stranded costs that are charged to utility customers through some type of fee or surcharge after the assets are sold or separated from the vertically-integrated utility. "Stranded assets" are assets that cannot be sold for some reason. The British nuclear plants are an example of stranded assets that no one would buy. (Also referred to as Transition Costs.)

Source: California Energy Commission