Briefly

Ontario to Extend Off-Peak Pricing Period
A long-term energy plan from the Ontario provincial government will advance the start of the off-peak usage hours for Regulated Price Plan customers to 7 p.m., rather than the current 9 p.m. start time. The change is to take affect for the May 2011 Regulated Price Plan update.

SCE Files Rate Case
Southern California Edison Company has filed an application for a Test Year 2012 General Rate Case (GRC), docketed as A.10-11-015. The application does not address various rate design issues such as unit marginal costs, marginal cost revenue responsibility, revenue allocation, and other related rate design issues, which are to be addressed in the pricing phase (Phase 2) of the GRC. Under the Rate Case Plan schedule, SCE expects to file its Phase 2 application within 90 days of filing the Test Year 2012 GRC Application.

Starion Energy Seeks Hearing on Conn. Notice of Violation
Starion Energy has requested a hearing from the Connecticut DPUC regarding the DPUC's notice of violation against Starion and notice of intent to fine Starion $70,000 for alleged customer authorization violations (11/8). "Starion intends to present evidence that Starion has taken several steps to mitigate any negative impacts of its failure to comply with the statutes noted above and to ensure that Starion remains in compliance with all applicable laws going forward. The evidence will demonstrate that, since its early start-up days, Starion has successfully enrolled thousands of customers without incident," Starion said in its request. Starion also requested the designation of Prosecutorial Staff in the docket (09-10-10RE01).

CUB Warns Customers Over Nicor ComfortGuard
The Illinois Attorney General's office and the Citizens Utility Board (CUB) issued a "consumer alert" concerning the Gas Line ComfortGuard repair service product offered by Nicor Services, an affiliate of Nicor Gas. The AG and CUB alert recites much of their contentions filed in testimony before the Illinois Commerce Commission in March in Docket 09-0301, concerning various affiliate issues arising out of a prior rate case (see 3/26/09). Among other things, the AG and CUB said that ComfortGuard produces revenue of more than $2 million a month, but, "is so rarely useful to customers that its monthly repair benefits have averaged less than 10 cents per home." About 20% of Nicor Gas' customer base, or 440,000 customers, have subscribed to the ComfortGuard plan at $4.95 per month.