Sharyland Reports Number of Texas REPs Testing to Participate in Retail Choice in 2014, Sends Notice of Choice to Customers

Sharyland Utilities, L.P. has filed with the Public Utility Commission of Texas a retail competition informational notice to be sent to customers in the Brady, Celeste, Colorado City, and Stanton service areas who are being transitioned to retail choice.

The notice gives an overview of competition, and informs customers that they will be able to choose their REP starting in spring 2014. Sharyland will mail this notice to each of its customers no later than September 1, 2013.

See prior story for background on introduction of retail choice to Sharyland's Brady, Celeste, Colorado City, and Stanton divisions

"Early next year, Sharyland will send you another mailer containing detailed information about REPs that are interested in serving customers in your area. In addition, Sharyland will be hosting public open house meetings next February and March to help provide additional information to your community," the notice states

Sharyland notes that rates for the Brady, Celeste, Colorado City, and Stanton service territories will begin to be posted on Texas Power to Choose in January 2014.

Sharyland also informed customers that the deadline to be removed from the Mass Customer List to be shared with REPs is November 29, 2013.

In Sharyland's most recent status report on the transition to competition, filed in July, Sharyland reported that a total of 21 REPs are testing with Sharyland in a test flight, and these REPs include all the potential default REPs. As of the July report, testing was on schedule and set to conclude in August.

In the July report, Sharyland said that it continues to define customer ESI ID information and is working with ERCOT to develop the associated load profiles. As of July, Sharyland was on schedule to have the ESI ID information, including 12 months of historical usage, loaded in the ERCOT system and available for REPs prior to the customer enrollment process.

Also of note, Southwestern Public Service Company and Southwest Power Pool, Inc. filed a stipulation resolving SPP's issues raised in a an application before the PUCT under which SPS is seeking to sell certain transmission assets to Sharyland (click here for background), which will facilitate the movement of the Sharyland territories currently within SPP into ERCOT, and allow the introduction of retail choice in such territories without the need to build certain new transmission assets as originally contemplated (Docket 41430).