Esty Seeks Suspension of Connecticut Smart Meter Proceedings at PURA

Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection Commissioner Daniel Esty has formally requested that the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority suspend PURA's two dockets concerning advanced meter implementation at Connecticut Light and Power and United Illuminating, claiming that advanced meter policy should first be set by DEEP.

The dockets are specifically 05-10-03RE04 (CL&P) and 07-07-02 (UI).

As only noted in Matters, PURA recently issued a draft order which would deny full smart meter implementation at CL&P at this time (8/30).

UI's current meters are capable of certain time-based rates, but do not support more advanced features, such as hourly consumption data, real-time pricing, or home automation products. The UI docket has not seen any substantive action since a 2008 decision allowed UI to move forward with certain communication and meter data management system upgrades to support potential future deployments of metering technology offering more frequent consumption information and other advanced features.

Esty's request, as filed, would not impact Docket 05-06-04RE06, under which PURA has proposed expanding mandatory Time of Use default service rates to all customers, which can be accomplished with the current meters (see 8/9).

Esty said that of Public Act 11-80, "created a new framework for setting energy policy and implementing the associated regulation of energy in Connecticut."

"The Legislature has charged the Bureau of Energy and Technology Policy [within DEEP] with the task of creating a comprehensive state energy policy, which PURA wilt apply to the particular facts presented by the parties in dockets that come before it. Public Act 11-80 requires that the Bureau of Energy and Technology Policy develop a statewide energy policy and an integrated resource plan to meet energy needs in a manner consistent with advancing a myriad of new goals, which would certainly include a strategy for deploying smart meters," Esty said.

"These policy parameters under development should be used to guide any final PURA decisions related to smart meters in both existing and future dockets," Esty wrote.

To ensure that PURA decisions from this time forward are consistent with new policy directions, PURA "must" halt the currently pending smart meter dockets while the Bureau of Energy and Technology Policy reviews advanced metering policy, Esty said.