Pa. PUC Conducting Review of Treatment Of Non-Market Based Charges Imposed on LSEs by PJM With Eye Toward Enhancing Retail Market

The Pennsylvania PUC has informed the electric distribution companies that its Office of Competitive Market Oversight is performing an informal review of the non-market based charges imposed on load serving entities (LSEs) by PJM.

Examples of identified non-market based charges include, but may not be limited to, network integration transmission services (NITS), regional transmission expansion plans (RTEP), expansion cost recovery charges (ECRC), generation deactivation zonal cost allocation (also known as reliability must run or RMR), transmission enhancement costs and non-firm point-to-point transmission service credits.

In a secretarial letter, the PUC said that, "The Commission recognizes that the recovery of such charges have been litigated and established during the EDCs' default service plan proceedings. The intent of this informal investigation is to determine if there is a need to address these non-market based wholesale market charges in a more uniform and comprehensive way that would facilitate and enhance the retail electric market during future proceedings."

Specifically, the Commission has directed OCMO to perform an informal review that includes, but is not limited to, answering the following questions:

• Are there any other PJM non-market based charges in addition to those noted above?

• Are there any PJM charges that may, for whatever reason, be considered market based in some instances and non-market based in other instances or that are not generally agreed upon as either being market- or non-market based?

• Generally, how often and in what manner are these charges imposed on LSEs? When do these charges change during the calendar year?

• What is the approximate average annual cost of these charges: 1) on an EDC basis, and 2) on a customer class basis?

• What are the different methods utilized by the EDCs for the recovery of these costs in relation to default service?

• Would it be possible, and if so, appropriate, to develop a competitively-neutral methodology for the collection of such charges on behalf of all LSEs serving load in a given EDC service territory?