Energy Choice
                            

Matters

New York Approves Modest Acceleration in Switching Timeline

December 24, 2015

Email This Story
Copyright 2010-15 EnergyChoiceMatters.com
Reporting by Karen Abbott • kabbott@energychoicematters.com

The New York PSC adopted the recommendation of a collaborative that the existing on-cycle natural gas switching timeline of 15 calendar days shall be modified to 10 business days.

The PSC further agreed with the collaborative that, "additional reductions to the on-cycle gas switching timeline as well as off-cycle switching for both electric and gas will not be implemented at this time."

The PSC noted that, currently, there are two ways utilities implement a requested change of gas service providers. Some utilities process a switch on a billing cycle date, based either on an actual or estimated meter reading, while others process switches on the first calendar day of the month using an estimated meter reading. In either circumstance, if an enrollment request is received after the 15-calendar day deadline, the switch in service may not be implemented until the next available switching date. This may create delays of up to an additional 30 days.

However, due to the timeline for executing capacity releases, the PSC agreed that it is impracticable to make a substantial reduction of the switching time from the current 15 calendar day on-cycle lead time. "Significant physical upgrades would be required to more fully automate the process before a shorter switching time could be achieved. Some utilities are further automated than others, but as a whole, it would be problematic to proceed to a more drastic reduction to the on-cycle gas switching time at this time," the PSC said

Still, the PSC adopted the collaborative’s recommendation to monitor the effectiveness of the changes. The PSC ordered that Staff shall reconvene the collaborative within 45 days of February 15, 2016 for the purpose of having utilities and interested ESCOs report on their experience with the previously adopted five business day accelerated switching program for electricity, including an analysis of the switches effectuated on the customers’ next meter reading date, and any customer feedback, including customer satisfaction survey data related to switching. Staff shall also reconvene the Collaborative within 30 days of September 1, 2016, for the purpose of assessing the results of the new changes made to shorten the natural gas switching timeline, providing an updated report on benefits resulting from changes, and if any problems exist, discussing steps necessary to resolve such issues. An updated report shall detail any quantifiable successes, and if there are any difficulties, the steps necessary to resolve such problems.

The collaborative has recommended that interested parties approach the North American Energy Standards Board (NAESB) to automate the existing manual process for entering capacity releases into pipeline databases, thereby potentially further reducing the required gas switching timeline. The PSC encouraged members of the collaborative to work together and submit such a request.

Off-cycle switching for either gas or electric service will not be modified at this time, the PSC said, citing the lack of AMI, and the complexity which would result from using estimated bills for increased use of off-cycle switching.

That leaves the only change adopted by the PSC as being a change in the UBP to read that, "A gas enrollment request to a distribution utility no later than 10 business days prior to the effective date of the enrollment."

The PSC ordered that this modestly accelerated switching timeline for natural gas be effective as of March 1, 2016

Case 98-M-1343

ADVERTISEMENT
NEW Jobs on RetailEnergyJobs.com:
• NEW! -- Sr. Energy Analyst -- Texas
• NEW! -- Structuring Analyst -- Retail Supplier -- Houston
• NEW! -- Manager, Commercial Client Services -- Retail Supplier -- Houston/DFW
• NEW! -- Account Coordinator
• NEW! -- Director of Commercial Structuring -- Retail Supplier -- Houston
• NEW! -- Customer Account Manager -- Retail Supplier
• NEW! -- Vice President and Regional General Manager -- Retail Supplier
• NEW! -- Program Director - $225K/yr -- Texas
• NEW! -- Staff Accountant, Commissions Analysis -- Retail Supplier -- Houston
• NEW! -- Direct Business Development Manager -- Retail Supplier
• NEW! -- Supplier Services Manager