|
|
|
|
|
City of Houston Seeks To Subject Texas Retail Electric Providers To New Performance Measure Related To, "Correct Rate Plan, Term, And Charges," & Other New Measures
The following story is brought free of charge to readers by VertexOne, the exclusive EDI provider of EnergyChoiceMatters.com
In comments to the Texas PUC, the City of Houston has recommended new performance measure reporting for retail electric providers, including, "hav[ing] the REPs report Customer Enrollment Accuracy including the correct rate plan, term, and charges [REP rate plan and applicable term, TDSP Pass through Charges (including any Franchise Fees), and Misc. Charges]."
As previously reported, in a rulemaking updating the current retail performance measure rules, PUC Staff specifically invited comment on whether the current and proposed revisions to the Retail Market Performance Measures are sufficient to monitor the competitive Texas retail electricity market
In response, Houston stated, "Houston believes that the Retail Market Performance Measures are not comprehensive enough to monitor the competitive Texas retail market and, in particular, as it applies to customers within Houston city limits."
Most notably, Houston proposed that REPs be required to report, "Customer Enrollment Accuracy including the correct rate plan, term, and charges [REP rate plan and applicable term, TDSP Pass through Charges (including any Franchise Fees), and Misc. Charges]." [Houston's full language concerning this proposal is below]
Houston used the term "Customer Enrollment Accuracy" to describe this proposal, rather than billing accuracy, suggesting that this performance measure is concerned with ensuring customers are, at enrollment, placed onto the correct product, rather than determining, at billing, whether the customer was charged the correct rate
While not explicit, Houston compared this proposed new Customer Enrollment Accuracy metric to the existing metric of the percent of successful customer enrollments, which is reported by ERCOT. While not explicit, Houston's proposal suggests that, at the time an enrollment is successful, a REP would be required to check the REP's systems to ensure that the newly enrolled customer was placed on the product onto which the customer contracted to enroll, and report on the percent of enrollments which were accurately enrolled onto the correct product
Houston also proposed call center performance and complaint handling performance metrics for REPs.
Houston recommended that the Field Performance Statistic Metrics for REPs' call center performance should be average hold time, and percentage of calls answered within 60 seconds.
Houston also suggested that a link to each REP's individual performance metric record under the retail performance measures should be included with each retail electric plan offered on the PUC's Power To Chose site
Specifically Houston proposes the following new performance measures applicable to REPs:
Recommendation 1 (Schedule A [REP] – Customer Enrollment Accuracy). The Commission may further strengthen the proposed rule by not only considering the correct REP assignment as Staff requires to be reported by ERCOT in Schedule B, Part 1(Customer Enrollment Success Rate and Service Reliability), but to also have the REPs report Customer Enrollment Accuracy including the correct rate plan, term, and charges [REP rate plan and applicable term, TDSP Pass through Charges (including any Franchise Fees), and Misc. Charges]. Houston recommends that the Competitive Market Indicator Metrics be the percentage of enrollments with accurate REP separately and individually by accurate REP rate plan and term, TDSP Pass Through, and miscellaneous charges. Competitive market performance must be considered from a customer satisfaction perspective which entails more than just assignment to the correct REP.
Recommendation 2 (Schedule A [REP] – Time to Resolve Billing Disputes). The proposed rule should instruct REPs to measure responsiveness to customer complaints and invoice financial accuracy. Billing disputes are typically raised when a customer believes that they have been over billed and may experience a financial loss for the difference until the dispute is resolved with the REP. REP responsiveness to billing disputes is a key customer satisfaction criterion omitted from the Staff-proposed rule. Houston recommends that the Field Performance Statistic Metric be the average number of days to resolve billing disputes.
Recommendation 3 (Schedule A [REP] – Call Center Responsiveness). REPs should measure customer service quality and ease of access to the REP by their customers, which is not included in the Staff’s proposed rule. A customer’s ability to contact their REP in a timely manner is critical to resolving service issues and overall customer satisfaction. Houston recommends the Field Performance Statistic Metrics to be average hold time and percentage of calls answered within 60 seconds.
Recommendation 4 (Schedule A [REP] – Customer Complaint Rate by Category). REPs should also measure customer complaints segmented by billing, switching, and other service quality issues in order to identify systemic issues in REP operations and service to retail customers. The Commission should incentivize REPs to identify, measure, and timely resolve service quality issues. Houston recommends the Competitive Market Indicator Metrics be the number of complaints per 1,000 customers, segmented by billing, switching, and other service quality issues.
Project 56736
ADVERTISEMENT Copyright 2025 EnergyChoiceMatters.com. Unauthorized copying, retransmission, or republication
prohibited. You are not permitted to copy any work or text of EnergyChoiceMatters.com without the separate and express written consent of EnergyChoiceMatters.com
November 20, 2025
Email This Story
Copyright 2025 EnergyChoiceMatters.com
Reporting by Paul Ring • ring@energychoicematters.com
NEW Jobs on RetailEnergyJobs.com:
• NEW -- Account Executive (Commercial Retail Energy)
|
|
|
|
|