New York Approves Gutted Accelerated Switching Proposal

The New York PSC has accepted Staff's modified accelerated switching proposal, which jettisoned an earlier proposal for the use of off-cycle switches, and instead retains the on-cycle meter read for switches.

The PSC adopted limited changes which will allow more switches to occur at the immediately next on-cycle read instead of waiting an additional cycle for completion.

Staff had originally proposed that the customer switching timeline for retail electric and natural gas customers be accelerated to five business days, but the PSC agreed with Staff's revised position, based on utility feedback, that off-cycle switching cannot be accomplished in a timely and cost-effective manner at this time.

Under the adopted changes, for changes in electricity supplier, where the customer switches between ESCOs or between an ESCO and a distribution utility, the switch will occur on the next scheduled meter read date so long as the enrollment request is received by the distribution utility at least 5 business days before the scheduled meter read date.

This shortens the current 15 calendar day enrollment window.

There will be no change in the 15 calendar day natural gas enrollment window. The PSC did direct that a collaborative study accelerated natural gas switching, including off-cycle natural gas switching.

To further allow switches to make the immediately next enrollment window, the PSC has ruled that the customer's three-day cancellation period shall run concurrently with the ESCO and utility switching processes. Currently, the UBP requires the three-day cancellation period to run prior to an ESCO submitting an enrollment to the utility.

However, with this change, the PSC ordered, for telephonic enrollments, in which the ESCO sends the customer the sales agreement via US Mail, the ESCO shall provide for two business days for the customer to receive the sales agreement.

The PSC noted that the modifications allow the cancellation of a switch in commodity provider as late as the day before it would be effective.

Utilities are to implement the new accelerated switching provisions within 60 days.

Case 98-M-1343 et. al.