Maryland PSC to Require Supplier, Broker Applicants to Provide Training, Marketing Materials

The Maryland PSC said yesterday that it will require all electric and natural gas supplier and broker applicants to submit training and marketing materials as part of their application.

The decision came as the Commission was adjudicating the electric broker application of Positive Energy Electricity Supply (see related story).

Commissioners said that additional application requirements may be imposed in another case (Case 9245), but took yesterday's measure as an interim step.

Although Staff suggested requiring all licensed suppliers and brokers to submit all material changes to the originally submitted training and marketing materials to the PSC as well, Commissioner Susanne Brogan said it was not the role of the Commission to review and approve every business procedure of a supplier, as Brogan also raised logistical concerns as the Commission does not have the resources to review all such changes.

Commissioner Lawrence Brenner said that some on the Commission have a "particular concern with a certain business model of marketing," ostensibly referring to network marketing or multi-level marketing, and said that the receipt of updated training and marketing materials may want to be focused on such suppliers.