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Surprise! Duquesne Light Allowed to Return Customers to Default Service on Accelerated Basis While Retail Supplier Accelerated Switching Delayed

February 6, 2015

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Copyright 2010-15 EnergyChoiceMatters.com
Reporting by Paul Ring • ring@energychoicematters.com

Duquesne Light will be permitted to return customers contacting the utility to default service on an accelerated basis even as the accelerated switching process for retail suppliers is delayed.

As reported last month, the PUC adopted a motion from Chairman Robert Powelson and Commissioner Pamela Witmer which denied Duquesne Light's requested temporary waiver from the accelerated switching regulations as its implementation of a solution allowing one off-cycle switch per billing cycle, to be completed within 3 business days, has taken longer than anticipated.

In that adopted motion, Powelson and Witmer said that, "we see no reason to depart from the Commission's prior denial of Duquesne's request to permit the [accelerated] switching of customers that contact the company complaining about variable rates to default service."

"The rationale in this instance remains the same; this component of the Company's proposal is moot since we believe Duquesne should be required to provide one off-cycle switch per billing period," Powelson and Witmer said in the adopted motion.

However, the PUC's written order will permit an alternative scenario not discussed in the adopted motion of Powelson and Witmer.

Specifically, the PUC will allow Duquesne Light to switch a customer back to default service within three business days upon request of the customer.

"The request of the customer must be a specific request to go 'back with the utility' or to default service," the PUC said

"Generalized complaints about variable rates should not prompt Duquesne to automatically transfer a customer to default service. Duquesne should not proactively promote or advertise transferring customers back to default service, whether at its call centers or through any media channels," the PUC said.

The PUC explained that, "If a customer asks to transfer to default service or 'go back with the utility' and Duquesne has the capacity to switch a customer to default service within three-business days, then Duquesne should by all means do so ... We must strike a balance between our duty to support the development of the retail electric supply market, see 66 Pa. C.S. § 2802, and our mission to protect consumers. Transferring a customer to default service within three business days may help a customer avoid a price spike in a variable rate contract."

Docket P-2014-2448863

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