§ 40-3.2-105.6. Labor Standards for Beneficial Electrification Projects

1. This section applies to all necessary mechanical, plumbing, and electrical work performed in connection with a project undertaken pursuant to a beneficial electrification program under this article 3.2 and for which a customer of an investor-owned electric utility applies for a rebate directly from the utility.
2. When practicable, the utility may assign its own employees to perform the work, subject to state licensing requirements and all applicable state and local rules, codes, and standards.
3. 1. The utility shall obtain from the Colorado department of labor and employment and shall make use of a list, referred to in this section as the “certified contractor list”, containing the names and contact information of:
      1. Qualified contractors that participate in apprenticeship programs that are registered with the United States department of labor’s employment and training administration or with a state apprenticeship council recognized by the United States department of labor; and
      2. Qualified mechanical, electrical, and plumbing contractors that meet the graduation standards specified in section 24-92-115 (1)(a)(II).
   2. The utility shall publish the certified contractor list on its website and include or reference the list in all of the utility’s relevant marketing material for beneficial electrification programs.
   3. As a condition for customer participation in beneficial electrification programs where a rebate is paid directly to the customer after installation is complete, each investor-owned electric utility shall require its residential customers to verify that they used licensed electricians and plumbers or properly supervised apprentices on all plumbing and electrical work performed by a contractor on residential installations that qualify for a beneficial electrification rebate.
4. The following requirements apply to beneficial electrification projects in new or existing industrial, commercial, or multifamily residential buildings:
   1. For plumbing, mechanical, or electrical projects undertaken by a commercial or industrial customer in a building that contains twenty thousand square feet or more of conditioned floor space and for which a rebate is to be provided directly to the customer as part of a beneficial electrification program, the utility shall condition payment of the rebate on the customer’s exclusive use of contractors from the certified contractor list unless the work is done by employees of the utility.
   2. 1. For plumbing, mechanical, or electrical projects that involve the beneficial electrification of central building systems in a multifamily building that contains twenty thousand square feet or more of conditioned floor space and for which a rebate is to be provided directly to the building owner as part of a beneficial electrification program, the utility shall condition payment of the rebate on the building owner’s exclusive use of contractors that participate in apprenticeship programs registered with the United States department of labor’s employment and training administration or with a state apprenticeship council recognized by the United States department of labor for any necessary plumbing or electrical work. If the contractor chosen by the building owner is not on the certified contractor list, the utility shall require another method of verifying compliance with this subsection (4)(b).
      2. This subsection (4)(b) does not apply to a beneficial electrification project that is limited to in-unit work in a multifamily building, as undertaken by the owner or tenant of the multifamily building or unit.

Source: L. 2021: Entire section added, (SB 21-246), ch. 283, p. 1677, § 5, effective September 7.

Cross references: For the legislative declaration in SB 21-246, see section 1 of chapter 283, Session Laws of Colorado 2021.