WGL Files Revised POR Discount Rates in Maryland

Washington Gas Light has filed with the Maryland PSC updated Purchase of Receivables discount rates for its pending POR compliance plan.

The PSC is still deliberating the appropriate amortization period for POR implementation costs, and WGL filed discount rates reflecting either a two, three, or five-year amortization.

Updated bad debt components in the discount rates would be 1.64% for residential customers and 0.71% for non-residential customers.

Total discount rates, broken down by component, would be as follows for each amortization period:

^As shown in WGL’s calculation, individual components likely reflect rounding, accounting for their slightly different sum when added together

WGL asked that the Commission approve the discount rates by January 14, 2011 to allow implementation on February 1, 2011, coincident with a new billing cycle. Because starting the POR program in the middle of a billing cycle would add risk and complexity, WGL said that if the rates are not approved by January 14, 2011, the next opportunity to begin the POR program would be for bills rendered on an after March 1, 2011.

WGL also reported that it remains on track for a May 2011 implementation of uniform electronic transactions, contingent on approval of statewide electronic transaction standards by the end of April 2011.