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Retail Suppliers Seek Rule Waivers To Allow Digital TPVs
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IDT Energy, Inc. and Residents Energy, LLC (Joint Applicants) petitioned the PUC of Ohio for certain rule waivers to allow third party verification to be conducted digitally on a customer's own device, rather than telephonically
PUCO's rules are specific that TPVs are to be completed solely through "telephonic" means for door-to-door sales, and also require an "audio recording" and calls with verbal questions & statements and responses from customers
IDT and Residents said that their sought relief to allow the use of a digital TPV is the same or substantially similar to relief granted to other retail suppliers in prior petitions
IDT and Residents said the requested waivers will not change the confirming information gathered during the TPV process, and that customers will still have the option to complete the TPV process through traditional means (telephonically).
IDT and Residents said that the TPV process, under their sought waiver, would proceed as follows:
• At the conclusion of a door-to-door sale for electric and/or gas that results in a signed contract, the customer will be given the option to complete the TPV process by either the traditional method (telephonic) or the digital method on their own device.
• If the customer selects the digital TPV option, the customer will receive a text or email (based on the information provided during the initial enrollment process) with a link to the verification process. This link will expire within 24 hours of the text/email being sent.
• The sales agent will leave the property and not return during or after the TPV process.
• When the customer clicks the link in the text message or email on their own device, the TPV will display information explaining that it is the TPV for confirming the authorization to enroll with the supplier for an electricity or gas supply product. The customer’s location is required to enable the digital TPV to continue and then the series of TPV questions are asked. The customer must
answer each question, and the responses must be satisfactory for the TPV to be
successful.
• If the customer does not complete the digital TPV process, then the TPV is not successful and no enrollment will occur. If the customer does not satisfactorily answer each question, then the TPV is not successful and no enrollment will occur.
• "Joint Applicants will have measures in place to ensure that the device used by the sales agent is not the device utilized for the TPV process. If the same device is identified, the digital TPV will not be able to be completed," Joint Applicants said
• At the end of the verification questions, the customer will see a “Thank You” page that provides a confirmation that the verification was successfully completed and final confirmation of their decision to enroll with the supplier. A telephone number is also provided to allow the customer to contact the supplier with any follow-up questions.
• The customer will then be sent a welcome package automatically, which contains all the information and disclosures required under Ohio Adm.Code 4901:1-21-06 and 4901:1-29-06.
• Joint Applicants will maintain digital TPV records under the same rules and standards applicable to verbal TPVs. "Additionally, digital TPVs will be reviewed internally for completion, compliance and quality assurance. These review efforts include, for example: review for consistent provision of the telephone numbers, email addresses and signatures throughout the transaction process; review for the same telephone number being used for multiple
enrollments including TPVs; and review for emails with bounce-backs. If non-
compliant TPVs are identified, then the customer will not be switched to the retail service," Joint Applicants said
"Joint Applicants have successfully implemented the above process in seven jurisdictions with success (the District of Columbia, Delaware, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey and Pennsylvania). In these other seven markets where their customers have the option of digital TPV or live TPV, digital verifications are selected by customers because they are preferred. In fact, over 98% of the time IDT customers selected the digital TPV process in those other jurisdictions and over 99% of the time the Residents Energy customers selected the digital TPV process," IDT and Residents said
Case 26-0947-GE-WVR
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September 15, 2026
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Copyright 2026 EnergyChoiceMatters.com
Reporting by Paul Ring • ring@energychoicematters.com
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