Another Customer Files Complaint Over Delay in Switching to Competitive Supply at Wisconsin Electric

Verso Paper Corp. has filed a complaint at the Michigan PSC over, "the unreasonable delay of over two years imposed by Wisconsin Electric Power Company on Verso Paper Corp.'s request to migrate to retail access service."

Verso Paper is seeking to take supply from Integrys Energy Services.

Wisconsin Electric has refused to schedule the requested switch to retail access service any sooner than two and a half years past the date when it received the switch request, citing a 1989 service agreement with Verso Paper which requires two-year notice for termination.

Verso Paper said that this agreement, which pre-dates customer choice, specifies that its terms and conditions of service are subject to change as the law changes. Section 2 of the Service Agreement says that, "The Customer shall receive, and pay for service furnished hereunder in accordance with the terms and conditions of Schedule A of the Company's General Primary Service Rate Schedule applicable at the time service is being rendered."

Verso Paper argued that General Primary Schedule A further specifies, under "Retail Access Option," that "Customers who meet the availability requirements of the Schedule A rate schedule may contract for retail access service."

Verso Paper said that the delay in the switch will lead to an approximate cost of $200,000 per month for Verso.