Flash: Pennsylvania Continues Spot-Based Default Service at Pike County Light & Power

The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) said today in a news release that it, "approved a petition of Pike County Light & Power (PCL&P) for continuation of its default service implementation plan."

A final order was not immediately available.

According to the news release, "The Commission voted 4-1 to approve the company's default service implementation plan which secures default service supply for its non-shopping customers beginning June 1, 2012, through May 31, 2014. PCL&P will continue acquiring default service supply through the New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) spot market."

Although no final order is available, and the news release is not explicit that the NYISO spot market will be used "exclusively" for default service, the indication is that there is no change to the current exclusive reliance on the spot market, since a "continuation" of the plan has been approved.

As only reported by Matters, a recommended decision from an ALJ had proposed that Pike County be required to procure on behalf of residential default service customers a 1 MW (or less) on-peak fixed price block for a one-year term for each delivery year during the default service period. The residential peak default service load is about 1.7 MW.

The recommended decision reverberated through the Pennsylvania market not only for its specific recommendation, but also for its broader findings and conclusions with respect to the default service portfolio requirements of Act 129, including an emphasis on "rate stability." See prior story for discussion