Another: AG Asks PUC to Mitigate Default Service Rate Hikes, Defer Costs for Future Collection

The Rhode Island Attorney General has asked the PUC to mitigate National Grid's electric default service rate hike.

According to the AG, the National Grid residential SOS rate will increase on January 1 from 7.879 to 12.225 cents per kWh (does not include renewable adder). The AG said that commercial customers (C-06, G-02 and SL) on Standard Offer Service will pay 12.895 cents per kWh starting January 1. These rates are to be set for six months.

"One way for the Commission to address the issues raised by National Grid's filing is to allow the Company to recover Standard Offer costs for customers for the January 1, 2015 to June 30, 2015 period over 12-months rather than a six-month period. The Commission can request the Company to estimate the likely effect of this proposed deferral and appropriately reflect the reduced rates in an amended filing," the AG said.

"Reductions to the proposed electric rate increases in the January 1, 2015 through June 30, 2015 time-period will mitigate the shock of the proposed increases during period of harshest weather when household budgets may be unusually stretched. They will also afford customers additional time to adjust their consumption patterns or to find a suitable competitive supplier to the extent that they are aware of or willing to purchase their electricity from such a supplier," the AG said.