Texas Staff Clarify REP Responsibility for Reconnection Notice in Proposed Final Rule

Staff of the Public Utility Commission of Texas have filed a proposal for adoption concerning new rules regarding reconnection timelines and responsibility that clarify the responsibilities of retail electric providers versus an earlier proposal for publication.

The proposal for adoption, for amended SUBST. R. 25.483, largely makes conforming changes to the rule to reflect previously adopted new timelines for discretionary services provided to customers with provisioned advanced meters (see earlier story).

In making the conforming changes, the proposal for publication had included a provisions that, "The REP shall inform the customer of the reconnection timelines in accordance with this subsection and the reconnection timelines in §25.214 of this title."

REPs had expressed concern that this language would require REPs to communicate to customers the entirety of the reconnection timelines, including individual dates for REP and TDU obligations, as contained in the rule, which would be confusing to customers. REPs said that, consistent with the prior rule, the goal is to provide customers with information regarding when the reconnection will be complete, not a list of various deadlines included within that reconnection process.

Staff agreed, and in the proposal for adoption have modified the language to provide: "The REP shall inform the customer when reconnection is expected to occur in accordance with the timelines set forth in this subsection and in §25.214 of this title."

The proposal for adoption also maintains language providing that, for premises without a provisioned advanced meter with remote disconnect/reconnect capabilities, if a REP submits a standard reconnect request and the TDU completes the reconnect the same day, the TDU shall assess a standard reconnect fee. A TDU may assess a same-day reconnect fee only when the REP expressly requests a same-day reconnect. Several TDUs had requested that such language be removed as redundant, due to provisions governing such situations elsewhere in the substantive rules and the retail market guide.

Staff's proposal for adoption also adds language clarifying that, "a REP may pass through a same-day reconnect fee to the customer only when the customer expressly requests a same-day reconnect."

Staff's proposal would decline to amend the rule to require that REPs be required to have their systems monitored and operating 24/7 in order to respond to disconnected customers making payment, and would decline to require that a deadline of no more than two hours be imposed on a REP to request reconnection of service after a customer makes a payment, as sought by consumer advocates.

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