PUC Approves Modification of Default Service Procurement Process

The New Hampshire PUC approved a modification of Liberty Utilities' (Granite State Electric) default service procurement process to mitigate winter price spikes.

Specifically, the PUC approved Liberty’s proposal to phase-in the timing of default service solicitations for residential and small commercial customers to create two six-month periods, one for February through July, and the other for August through January.

Dividing the high-priced winter months of January and February between the two energy service periods is designed to help the price spikes previously experienced by ratepayers for the winter months.

Currently, Liberty's mass market default service is priced in two six-month default service periods with terms of November through April and May through October.

To accomplish the change in pricing periods, the PUC approved Liberty's proposal to phase-in the implementation of the new time periods by having its September 2015 solicitation be for a nine-month block of power for its small customer group.

While there is no change to the pricing periods for Large Customer default service, due to changes in the Small Customer procurement dates, Liberty will modify the Large Customer procurement schedule. Specifically, Liberty's September 2015 procurement will include three, three-month blocks of power for Liberty's Large Customer Group.

Docket DE 15-010