State Reviewing Whether Muni Aggregations Should Get Preferential Lists of Customers, Whether Certain Non-Shopping Customers Should Be Excluded From Aggregation

The Massachusetts DPU has asked for stakeholder comment regarding what customers should be included in customer lists provided to municipal aggregations.

Currently, National Grid does not provide certain customers’ account information to municipal aggregators, including: (1) customers enrolled with another competitive supplier; (2) customers enrolled in the GreenUp program; and (3) customers who previously instructed National Grid that they do not want their personal account information shared with competitive suppliers

The DPU asked for comment regarding whether the customer lists provided to municipal aggregations should include all basic service customers, except customers enrolled in an optional basic service enhancement program (e.g., National Grid GreenUp).

The issue also implicates whether customers who previously instructed National Grid that they do not want their personal account information shared with competitive suppliers are to be deemed "eligible" customers for municipal aggregations, and whether such customers are switched to the aggregation on an opt-out basis.

"[I]n the context of municipal aggregations, National Grid interprets 'eligible customers' to mean the distribution customers within the municipality on basic service, and not enrolled with another competitive supplier, not enrolled in the Company’s GreenUp program, and that have not instructed the Company that they do not want their account information shared with competitive suppliers," National Grid said in comments to the DPU, noting that neither tariff nor statute uses the term "eligible" customer.

Docket D.P.U. 15-19