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OCC Seeks To Require Written Authorization For Default Service Customers To Elect Optional Time Of Use Utility Supply Rate
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The Ohio Consumers' Counsel has recommended that the FirstEnergy Ohio utilities be required to obtain written customer authorization for customers to be placed on an optional Time of Use generation rate
As previously reported by EnergyChoiceMatters.com, FirstEnergy Ohio utilities (The Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company, Ohio Edison Company, and The Toledo Edison Company) have filed at the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio to revise the Generation Service Rider (Rider GEN) to add a time-varying rate offering for non-shopping customers. See our prior story here for more details
OCC specifically recommended that the TOU tariff should explicitly state, "No residential customer shall be enrolled
in the Time-o- Day [sic] Option unless the customer affirmatively elects such option in writing
following full disclosure, in clear, plain English, or all terms and conditions. A customer may
terminate its participation in this time-of-day option at any time, including in the middle of a
billing cycle, without incurring any penalty."
OCC suggested that the utility TOU supply rate be marketed to customers as follows: "When a customer receives an advanced
meter under FirstEnergy’s grid modernization plan, the customer should be informed about the
availability of the Residential Time-of-Use Rates. The utility should provide full disclosure, in
writing, in clear, plain English, of all terms and conditions of the Residential Time-of-Use Rates.
The PUCO should approve the language to be provided in this disclosure, following input from
stakeholders. The customer should be informed that he or she can terminate participation in the
program at any time, including in the middle of a billing cycle, without paying any penalty (i.e.,
the utility shall not charge, for example, a $5 fee for canceling). And before a customer is
enrolled in the proposed Residential Time-of-Use Rates, the utility should receive written
confirmation from the customer that they have received, reviewed, and understand the information provided by the utility regarding the time-of-use rates."
OCC also recommended that, "To build customer confidence in the adoption of time-of-use rates,
customers should be protected from excessive bill increases resulting from
participation in the Residential Time-of-Use Rates."
"For the first year of participation, customers should be guaranteed to
pay no more than they would have paid under the standard SSO rates. Customers exceeding the
rate cap for this one-year period should be provided a monthly bill comparison showing the
charges they would have paid without the rate ceiling," OCC said
"Providing limited-in-duration bill limitation guarantees adequately balances several goals
of time-of-use rates. It allows for a transition period as customers learn about how the rates work
and how they impact bills. It allows customers to obtain real life data about how their own usage
patterns contribute to higher or lower rates. It prevents rate shock if customers sign up for time-or-
use [sic] rates and would otherwise pay much higher bills. And it preserves consumer autonomy (a
foundational aspect of competitive markets) by requiring consumers to live with the
consequences of their choices, following the initial six-month trial period," OCC said
OCC also said that customers participating in the Residential Time-of-Use Rates should
receive monthly statements on their bills showing how their actual bill
compares to what they would have paid under non-time-of-use SSO rates.
OCC said that, once time-of-use rates begin to be offered by retail suppliers, the PUCO’s apples to
apples website should include FirstEnergy’s SSO Residential Time-of-Use Rates so that
customers can use that as a point of comparison in evaluating marketer time-of-use offers.
OCC said that it asked FirstEnergy in discovery whether it will collect lost revenues resulting from the Residential TOU Rates (for example, if a customer’s
total charges under the Residential TOU Rates are less than they would be under standard
rates).
OCC said that, "FirstEnergy responded that these charges would in fact be 'reconciled through the
Companies’ Generation Cost Reconciliation Rider.'"
OCC said that, "FirstEnergy’s proposed TOU
program is supposedly advancing competitive market supply and demand principles; however
time-of-use customers (and all other SSO customers) will guarantee FirstEnergy revenues for lost
standard service offer payments resulting from this program[.]"
PUCO Staff recommended approval of Ohio Edison Company’s, The Cleveland Electric Illuminating
Company’s, and The Toledo Edison Company’s
proposed time-varying rate (TVR) structure for residential customers.
Staff recommended that the
Commission direct the EDCs to submit a customer education and marketing plan to Staff for
discussion and approval prior to implementation of the TVR structure.
Case No. 20-50-EL-ATA
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Recommends Bill Guarantee For Non-Shopping TOU Rate Customers
February 24, 2020
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Reporting by Paul Ring • ring@energychoicematters.com
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