Briefly

Md. Staff Recommend Commission Note IGS Filing to Use Columbia Retail Energy Trade Name

Maryland PSC Staff have recommended that the Commission note the filing made by Interstate Gas Supply to add the trade name Columbia Retail Energy to its existing natural gas supplier license (9/20/10). The matter is on the Commission's October 20 administrative meeting agenda.

Peevey Agenda Decision Would Lengthen Cap on REC Usage, Set Cap at 30%
An agenda decision from California PUC President Michael Peevey would set the cap on the use of tradable RECs for RPS compliance, to be applicable to utilities as well as electric service providers, at 30% (R.06-02-012, Matters, 9/13/10). That compares to a current limit of 25% (for utilities only), and an earlier proposal for a cap of 40%. Peevey's agenda decision would also impose the cap through December 31, 2013, rather than December 31, 2011.

Direct Energy Touts Poll Showing Support for Alternative Default Service Supplier in Pa.
Direct Energy formally announced the results of a recent poll which showed that some 84% of Pennsylvania electric customers support, "allowing a company other than the utility company," to provide default electricity supply if all of the current consumer protections remain in place. The results, first disclosed in Direct Energy testimony before the Pennsylvania PUC in the FirstEnergy Corp.-Allegheny Energy merger proceeding, were previously reported by Matters on October 4. Direct has proposed auctioning off all but the largest default service customers to competitive suppliers at what would be the combined FirstEnergy utilities due to market power concerns (see Matters, 8/18/10).

ComEd Seeks to Ratebase Smart Grid Pilot
Commonwealth Edison asked the Illinois Commerce Commission to allow it to recover certain smart grid pilot costs in its base rates, since a state appeals court has struck the use of a rider to recover such costs. ComEd said that it would seek to terminate the pilot without appropriate cost recovery.

AEP to Merge Ohio Power, Columbus Southern Power
AEP subsidiaries Ohio Power Company and Columbus Southern Power Company have sought approval from the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio for a merger under which Ohio Power Company would be the surviving corporation. After the merger, Ohio Power will continue to provide retail electric service to customers within the pre-merger certified territories of Columbus Southern Power and Ohio Power in accordance with their respective rates and terms and conditions in effect for Columbus Southern Power and Ohio Power prior to the merger, until such time as the Commission approves new rates and terms and conditions. However, in the future, Ohio Power intends to blend retail rates for the two service areas.

Calif. PUC Issues Draft to Determine Cost Effectiveness of Demand Response
The California PUC has posted in R.07-01-041 a proposed decision which would establish a method for estimating the cost-effectiveness of demand response activities undertaken by the investor-owned utilities.