Regulator Requests Briefs From Retail Suppliers, Consumer Counsel On RTO Cost Pass-Throughs To Customers Under Fixed Rates

June 14, 2019

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

The following story is brought free of charge to readers by EC Infosystems, the exclusive EDI provider of EnergyChoiceMatters.com

The Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority has requested briefing in its proceeding that was opened to determine if retail electric suppliers’ practices of altering the terms of a fixed-price contract constitute unfair and deceptive trade practices, including but not limited to altering fixed-priced contracts based on changes to the ISO New England Demand Report and Pay for Performance implementation, changes to its processes regarding Integrating Markets and State Public Policies and Competitive Auctions with Sponsored Policy Resources, changes to capacity costs or capacity tags, or changes to other market rules and/or conditions.

PURA's opening of the proceeding concerning a review of ISO-related pass-through under fixed rates had been exclusively first reported by EnergyChoiceMatters.com

PURA said in its request for briefing that, "The Authority requests briefs from Direct Energy Business, Spark Energy LLC, and any other supplier increasing the rates for business customers with fixed-rate contracts, and also welcomes briefs from other docket participants."

"Due to the legal nature of this matter, the Authority specifically would appreciate briefs and/or reply briefs from the Office of Consumer Counsel and the Attorney General," PURA said

PURA directed that briefs should contain the following:

1) The specific causes of the increase in the fixed-price contract, including when those causes were known;

2) What factors must a supplier forecast properly when setting rates and why the cause of this increase was not one of those factors;

3) If the supplier has increased fixed-rate contracts previously for this reason, and if not, why not;

4) Was the cause of this increase in the fixed-price contract known or knowable at the time the contract was entered; and

5) The legal basis for this increase in the fixed-price contract, and if applicable, specifically how the specific cause for increase falls within the contract’s change of law provisions;

6) Any other information or legal analysis that will assist the Authority in its review.

Docket 19-02-13

ADVERTISEMENT
NEW Jobs on RetailEnergyJobs.com:
• NEW! -- Operations Manager -- Retail Supplier
• NEW! -- Compliance Manager -- Retail Supplier
• Retail Energy Operations Analyst