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Updated With More Details On Impacted Markets: Utility Confirms Drop Of Defaulting Retail Supplier's Customers To Default Service

February 20, 2019

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Copyright 2010-19 EnergyChoiceMatters.com
Reporting by Paul Ring • ring@energychoicematters.com

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Updated:

Great Eastern Energy in a letter to PURA provided further detail on the return of its New England customers to default service and the retirement of its ISO-NE load asset IDs, confirming that all of its customers in the ISO-NE markets (MA, CT) are being returned to default service.

Great Eastern Energy in the letter to PURA stated as follows: "This is to inform you that BBPC, LLC d/b/a Great Eastern Energy ('GEE') has lost its credit facility with the New England ISO and was notified by them that it was in default. The credit facility was provided by Macquarie Investments US Inc. ('Macquarie')."

"As a result, GEE has been forced to exit the retail electric market across all utilities in Connecticut. However, it will continue to serve Natural Gas customers in other states, without any interruption. GEE’s retail customers will be returned default service by their provider of last resort ('POLR'), as of the date of GEE’s load asset ID expiration (February 15, 2019). GEE and the POLR will notify all customers of their switch back to default service. Staff from GEE and the POLR will also be available to answer customer inquiries. There will be no service interruption for customers and a copy of GEE’s notification including FAQs is attached for Staff’s review," Great Eastern Energy said in the letter to PURA

In a customer letter, Great Eastern Energy states, "As part of providing direct communication and excellence in service to our customers, we regret to inform you that Great Eastern Energy ('GEE') will exit the New England market as a supplier of Electricity. Starting on February 13, 2019, your account will no longer be supplied by GEE and you will receive supply service directly from your utility company."

"Please know that there will be no service interruption to your electricity service as a result of the switch back to the utility. Additionally, if you were enrolled on a fixed-rate contract with GEE, you are not going to be charged an early termination fee for the early termination of your contract term. If you also have a natural gas account being supplied by GEE, your natural gas account will not experience any change in service," GEE states in the customer letter

Earlier:

Connecticut Light & Power (the Company) said in a letter to the Connecticut PURA that ISO New England, Inc. (ISO-NE) has retired the existing assets of the third party electric supplier Great Eastern Energy (GEE), and that CL&P placed the GEE customers on back-up service (i.e., Standard Service or Last Resort Service), effective February 15, 2019.

As previously reported by EnergyChoiceMatters.com (see story here), BBPC, LLC d/b/a Great Eastern Energy, along with GEEnergy Holding Co. LLC, have filed voluntary petitions for bankruptcy under Chapter 11. The Chapter 11 filing followed BBPC, LLC being in default at the New York ISO, which had been exclusively reported by EnergyChoiceMatters.com earlier this month

CL&P said in its filing that, "It has come to the attention of The Connecticut Light and Power Company d/b/a Eversource Energy (the 'Company') that ISO New England, Inc. ('ISO-NE') has retired the existing assets of the third party electric supplier, Great Eastern Energy ('GEE'), effective February 15, 2019, per the RTO Tariff, Section I, Exhibit 1D, of the ISO New England Billing Policy. The Company is unaware if GEE has notified customers pursuant to Connecticut Agencies Regulations § 16-244c-12."

"This correspondence shall serve as the Company’s notice to PURA that GEE is no longer providing retail electric service to its customers of record," CL&P said in its filing

"In order to provide continuous service to customers and because GEE provided no prior notice of its default to us, the Company placed the GEE customers on back-up service (i.e., Standard Service or Last Resort Service), effective February 15, 2019. In addition, the Company will issue the required billing notifications required by Connecticut Agencies Regulations § 16-244c-14(d) for those former GEE customers that are now on back-up service," CL&P said

Pursuant to Connecticut Agencies Regulations § 16-244c-12(c), CL&P is also in the process of notifying the former GEE customers of record of the following:

(1) A statement, in bold print, advising that the customer will receive back-up service until such time as the customer contracts with another electric supplier;

(2) The ability, in bold print, of the customer to elect to contract with another electric supplier to avoid remaining on back-up service; the rate, in bold print, of the back-up service at which the customer will be charged; and a link to the terms and conditions of such back-up service;

(3) A link to the most current list, as maintained by PURA, of all electric suppliers licensed in Connecticut;

(4) The name, address and toll-free telephone number of the electric distribution company for customer service inquiries; and

(5) PURA's address, internet web site and customer service telephone number.

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