Another Pa. Utility Seeks To Recover Costs of New Account Number Look-up Tool From Retail Suppliers

National Fuel Gas Distribution Corp. is the latest Pennsylvania utility seeking to charge retail suppliers for the costs of implementing a remote account number access mechanism, which would allow retail suppliers to obtain a customer's account number in situations where the customer does not have their bill handy (i.e. shopping mall kiosks, etc.)

The Pennsylvania PUC had encouraged NGDCs to consider assigning part of the costs of the mechanism to retail suppliers in directing implementation of the programs

NFGD said that it will develop a tariff rider that would allow for 50% of the total design and implementation costs of the mechanism to be recovered from the SATS [Small Aggregation Transportation Service] Suppliers as a one-time charge, and the remaining costs from the Residential, Commercial and Small Volume Industrial Retail and SATC [Small Aggregation Transportation] customers. NFGD estimates the costs of the mechanism to be approximately $50,000

In contrast, Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania would not assign costs of the mechanism to retail suppliers, and would instead use its existing Rider Customer Choice to recover the costs associated with developing, implementing and maintaining its mechanism. Currently Rider CC is billed to all Choice eligible customers.