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CL&P Says Direct Market Purchases For Mass Market Default Service Would Not Be Able To Start With October 2026 Procurement
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In a data response at the Connecticut PURA, Connecticut Light & Power (Eversource) stated that CL&P will not be able to implement, in time for the October 2026 standard service (default service) procurement, the use of dynamic market purchasing (supplies sourced by the utility directly from the ISO New England market), in the manner as set forth in the Connecticut procurement manager's report
CL&P's data response came in a PURA proceeding considering changes to the default service procurement methodology, including the use of dynamic purchasing. See ECM's prior story for full background
As previously reported, United Illuminating has separately said that the October 2026 procurement cycle for standard service is not a feasible target for UI to implement dynamic purchasing for a portion of standard service (story here)
CL&P first noted that the procurement manager's report on dynamic purchasing has not been adopted as a final PURA directive, nor does it provide granular details on the entity(ies) responsible for decisions on dynamic purchasing and the roles and responsibilities of various parties engaged in default service procurement (the EDCs, the state's procurement manager, and PURA)
Based on an estimated timeline included in CL&P's data response, CL&P would need about 8 months after the date of a final PURA order adopting an amended default service procurement plan to be ready to begin using dynamic purchasing. CL&P's timeline suggests that, after PURA addresses the procurement manager's report on standard service procurement policy in PURA's current investigation, PURA will additionally have to formally amend the standard service procurement plan, with a stakeholder process addressing specific amendments to conform to PURA's policy decision in the investigation docket, with CL&P suggesting that such an order on the amended plan would be issued around September 2027. As a result, CL&P's timeline indicates that CL&P would be ready to begin dynamic purchasing in late May 2028.
CL&P noted that this timeline could be accelerated or pushed out depending on the length of time required to execute on certain tasks. CL&P believes that the earliest CL&P could begin engaging in dynamic market purchases would be the second half of 2027, and potentially as late as the first half of 2029.
Without proposed specific requirements for dynamic purchasing, CL&P said that it is difficult to forecast all of the resources needed and to develop a timeline to begin dynamic market purchases
However, CL&P said that, for just serving load via the spot market, CL&P forecasts needing one to four additional Full Time Equivalent Employees (FTEs).
To the extent more complicated forms of dynamic market purchases are adopted, moving closer towards a managed portfolio, additional FTEs may be needed, CL&P said. CL&P noted that, in previously addressing the staffing which would be needed for a managed portfolio, CL&P has stated that a managed portfolio could require three to 14 additional FTEs.
In terms of non-FTE annual O&M costs, CL&P forecasts that annual O&M costs associated with dynamic market purchases could range between $100,000 and $1,200,000, depending on the complexity of the details, policies, and procedures reflected in the final approved amendment to the power procurement plan.
Docket 12-06-02RE05
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April 28, 2026
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Copyright 2026 EnergyChoiceMatters.com
Reporting by Paul Ring • ring@energychoicematters.com
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