Pennsylvania Directs Retail Suppliers To Conduct Internal Review to Ensure Compliance With New Switching Rules

The Pennsylvania PUC via secretarial letter directed retail electric suppliers to conduct a review of their internal procedures, including any used by a vendor, to ensure they will be in compliance with the newly adopted "accelerated switching" regulations by December 15, 2014.

The PUC reminded suppliers that when a customer contacts an EGS to request a change of electric supply service, the new regulations require the newly selected EGS to, "notify the EDC of the customer's EGS selection at the end of the 3-business day rescission period…or a future date specified by the customer."

Upon customer consent, the selected EGS may notify the EDC by the end of the next business day following the customer contact. "A delay in the switching process is only acceptable if the customer requests and consents to a delay in the change of electric supply service," the PUC emphasized.

"Accordingly, the Commission urges EGSs to review their internal procedures to ensure they will be in compliance with the 'accelerated switching' regulations by December 15, 2014. This includes any enrollment processes managed by a third-party vendor," the PUC said.

"While the new regulations facilitate accelerated switching, we remind all EGSs that the Commission will not tolerate unauthorized switching or 'slamming,' wherein a supplier changes a customer's electric supply service without that customer's consent," the PUC said.

Docket L-2014-2409383