PUC Authorizes PPL's Interim Accelerated Switching Mechanism

The Pennsylvania PUC authorized PPL's interim accelerated switching mechanism that is not in full compliance with the accelerated switching program adopted by the PUC, but still allows the customer to be switched within three business days for the first off-cycle switch in a billing cycle.

PPL Electric was authorized to implement, by December 15, 2014, an interim switching measure (available to metered accounts only) that will allow every metered shopping customer to: (i) make a single off-cycle three-business day switch within a single billing period to either a new EGS or default service; (ii) after one off-cycle switch has been made for a single billing cycle, make an on-cycle switch to either a new EGS or default service with service to become effective for the next billing period; and (iii) upon verbal request from the customer, make one additional manual off-cycle switch within a single billing period to be returned to default service within three business days.

"The Commission agrees with PPL that while not fully compliant with the switching regulations, this interim switching measure is a significant improvement over the current switching timeframes and will help reduce the financial burdens of shopping customers by allowing them to quickly move from an unsatisfactory product and to minimize the adverse impacts caused by slamming. The Commission also notes that having this interim switching measure in place on or before December 15, 2014, is timely as it will provide these benefits during the critical winter heating season," the PUC said.

The PUC said that its approval of PPL's interim switching measure, "does not constitute approval of any other aspect of PPL’s Petition for Waiver, such as, but not limited to, the length of the waiver, when full implementation will be required and any specific terms and conditions of the waivers, which will be addressed in their entirety in a subsequent Commission action."

PPL had asked that a temporary waiver authorizing the interim accelerated switching mechanism be granted from December 15, 2014 through July 2015, citing technical issues which prevent full compliance by the original December 2014 deadline.

Docket No. P-2014-2445072