Maryland PSC Defers Consideration of Columbia Recommendation to End Choice Program, Allows Time for Supplier-Columbia Talks

The Maryland PSC this morning deferred consideration of Columbia Gas' COMAR 20.59 cost recovery filing, in which Columbia has recommended ending its gas choice program in Maryland, until the July 6 administrative meeting.

Columbia's recommendation was first reported in Matters (see 3/30)

The deferral is intended to give suppliers time to discuss with Columbia the various options proposed by Columbia to recover costs of COMAR 20.59 implementation, and whether any additional solutions may developed (such as by seeking waiver of various requirements) to reduce the costs associated with compliance.

Due to the small number of active choice participants at Columbia, and small total customer base, recovery of all currently projected COMAR 20.59 costs will lead to a prohibitively high POR discount rate, or require the recovery from all distribution customers which the PSC has previously prohibited.

Any filings resulting from the discussions shall be made by June 23.