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Regulator Seeks Comments on Customer Notification Requirements, Website Rules, More

August 4, 2015

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

The Connecticut PURA has sought stakeholder comments as part of its re-examination of several issues from its November 2014 order in Docket 13-07-18, including issues related to: customer notification method requirements; supplier website requirements; cancellation (rescission) methodology requirements; and communication of exact enrollment date requirements

As previously reported, in the November 2014 decision, PURA ruled that retail suppliers must offer customers the ability to select to receive certain statutorily required notices from the supplier through all of the following methods: (1) United States mail, (2) electronic mail, (3) text message, (4) an application on a cellular telephone, and (5) a third-party notification service, which has been submitted to the Authority for approval.

Among other things, PURA sought comment on the following:

1. Connecticut General Statutes (Conn. Gen. Stat.) §16-245o(g)(1) requires that each licensed Supplier provide customers written notification through multiple methods. Such methods are outlined as follows: United States mail, electronic mail, text message, an application on a cellular telephone or a third-party notification service approved by the Authority.

a. Not all Connecticut electric consumers have access to the internet. Comment on how a choice between U.S. Mail and one electronic notification option would serve your customer base.

b. Comment on whether or not a Mobile Web Interface (i.e., a webpage that is responsive to use on a mobile device) could serve the same functions as "an application on a cellular phone."

c. The statute goes on to say: "Such customer shall have the option to change the method of notification at any time during the contract." Comment on the practicalities of allowing this customer choice.

2. The Final Decision in Docket No. 13-07-18, including Order No. 4, requires that each licensed Supplier "maintain its own website." Comment on the practicalities of maintaining a Connecticut-specific webpage as part of a supplier website versus an entirely separate Connecticut website.

3. Conn. Gen. Stat. §16-245o(f)(2) provides that: "A customer who has a maximum demand of five hundred kilowatts or less shall, until midnight of the third business day after the latter of the day on which the customer enters into a service agreement or the day on which the customer receives the written contract from the electric supplier as provided in this section, have the right to cancel a contract for electric generation services entered into with an electric supplier."

a. Comment on what method(s) of cancellation (telephone, text, email, U.S. Mail) would best enable customers to cancel most efficiently within the three business day period.

b. Comment on the practicalities of providing written notice using a method that is not available to customers as a cancellation method (i.e., if a customer chooses to receive their written notifications via text, and they must cancel by phone, would that create confusion for customers?).

4. Comment on the practicalities of using "your [month] meter read date" in regards to customer enrollment and switching.

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