RESA Opposes West Penn Power $6 Charge Per Utility Consolidated Bill

West Penn Power's proposed consolidated billing charge of $6 per bill per month, which is part of its proposed Purchase of Receivables program, "will result in an excessive and unworkable effective discount rate," the Retail Energy Supply Association said in a motion to intervene filed with the Pennsylvania PUC.

As only noted by Matters (11/4), the charge was proposed as part of a new supplier coordination tariff at West Penn Power (Allegheny).

RESA noted that the $6 per bill fee would equate to a 9% discount rate for residential customers.

Additionally, RESA noted that the POR tariff does not set forth the timelines involved when terminating a customer for non-payment, nor does it specify when a customer account will be finalized.

The tariff also fails to set forth a process for reconnecting a customer to the supplier of record when the customer is disconnected for non-payment, RESA said.

RESA further objected to the lack of an EDI 814 Advance Notice of Drop Transaction under the tariff.

The tariff fails to ensure that new capacity and Network Service Peak Load values for customers will be made available to suppliers immediately, RESA added, and fails to address several other items which should be included in the provision of customer information, such as meter read cycle information, an interval meter indicator, and a default service group indicator.