Switch Holds Decrease at TNMP, Growth Slows Elsewhere

The total number of switch holds applicable to customers as part of entering into a deferred payment plan with a retail electric provider fell at Texas-New Mexico Power in the month of October, while the net growth of accounts subject to a switch hold decreased in all other ERCOT service areas.

A monthly snapshot of the current number of residential ESI IDs subject to a switch hold for June, July, August, September, and October is available here.

Switch holds still apply to less than 1% of residential ESI IDs in ERCOT since the introduction of switch holds in June, although switch holds are nearly 1% in the AEP Texas Central service area (0.947%, which is the highest percent of any service area).

As of October 31, TNMP had 631 residential ESI IDs subject to a switch hold, versus 725 as of September 30. It's the first time any service area has seen a net decrease in total switch holds since their use began in June.

Every other area saw the net increase in switch holds slow during October versus the rate of growth in September. Most notably, AEP Texas North only saw a net addition of 44 switch holds as of October 31, versus the September increase of 185.

In terms of the actual number of residential ESI IDs, Oncor has the most ESI IDs subject to a switch hold, with 17,572 as of September 30.

As previously reported, REPs, effective June 1, were authorized to place switch holds on customers entering into a deferred payment plan, which prevents the customer from switching to another REP until the terms of the payment plan are satisfied.