Parties Seek Remand of Sharyland Transition to Retail Competition to PUCT for Decision

Sharyland Utilities, L.P., Staff of the Public Utility Commission of Texas, and all intervenors that had signed a prior stipulation concerning the transition to retail competition at Sharyland's former Cap Rock territories have requested that the procedural schedule in the docket be abated, and that a date be established for the submission of a proposed order, after the lone non-signatory to a settlement withdrew its request for a hearing (39592).

As previously reported, Pioneer Natural Resources USA, Inc., in a filing earlier this week, gave notice that it will not file testimony in the retail transition proceeding, and withdrew its request for a hearing.

In view of this development, the stipulating parties requested that the Administrative Law Judge abate the procedural schedule in the proceeding and set the date of July 12, 2012, for the filing of a proposed order and a motion to remand the proceeding to the Commission for consideration of the Non-Unanimous Stipulation.

Stipulating parties said that they were authorized to represent that Pioneer Natural Resources does not object to this request.

As previously reported, the non-unanimous stipulation was signed by all parties except Pioneer Natural Resources. The non-unanimous stipulation would establish a retail market transition plan and timeline for Sharyland's Stanton, Colorado City, Brady, and Celeste divisions, including selection of default retail electric providers

More details on the stipulated retail transition plan can be found in our prior story

The stipulation contemplates that retail choice will commence for the former Cap Rock territories on May 1, 2014, or 90 days after Sharyland files its tariffs to implement the final Commission order approving unbundled delivery rates for those divisions, whichever is later.

Prior to the transition, customers will be able to select a REP to provide them with service when they are transitioned to competition.

A customer not making an affirmative selection would be assigned to a Default REP, who shall serve such customers at a market-based, month-to-month product.

The stipulation provides that the only REPs eligible to be selected as a Default REP will be the 15 largest REPs in ERCOT, by market share, for a particular customer class, borrowing from the eligibly criteria to serve as a Large Service Provider (POLR).

The opening of Sharyland's former Cap Rock territories would expand customer choice to over 44,000 customers.