Illinois Denies Request To Take Further Comment on Introduction of Small Volume Choice For Ameren Gas Customers

The Illinois Commerce Commission denied a request to accept comments on a December report concerning introduction of a small volume transportation program at Ameren which would introduce choice for Ameren's residential and small commercial natural gas customers

In July 2015, the ICC had ordered Ameren to cease activity regarding implementation of a small volume transportation (SVT) natural gas program, finding the program unreasonable in light of projected cost. However, the ICC did establish a workshop process to continue informal consideration of mass market natural gas choice at Ameren

The workshop process resulted in a December 2015 report on small volume gas choice issues at Ameren, with the report summarizing parties' positions but offering no consensus recommendations on moving forward

During the workshop process, Ameren proposed leveraging its existing infrastructure and tariffs to provide choice to a capped number of residential customers -- up to 10% of its customer base (which would equal 74,000 customers). Ameren would generally accomplish small volume choice through limited changes to current Rider T, but said that even this implementation method would cost $6-7 million and take approximately 14-17 months

Link to Report

While not making any recommendations, the report did list four potential options for Commission consideration:

1. The Commission declines to require Rider T modifications at this time, but states that it will reconsider the question in eighteen months. During that period, Staff is directed to work with stakeholders to develop refined cost and benefit estimates for submission to the Commission. The Commission could then reconsider the issue based upon the best available information.

2. The Commission agrees with CUB and the AG that net benefits are not adequately demonstrated and unlikely to occur, the Commission could decline to order Ameren to file its modifications to Rider T with no further directions to Staff and parties.

3. The Commission agrees with RESA and NAE that net benefits are likely and directs Ameren to file tariff amendments to implement the Rider T modifications for the Commission to approve or move to a docketed case.

4. The Commission initiates a new docket to generally investigate and determine in a formal proceeding "how and when residential gas customers in [Ameren's] service territory will have access to a gas supplier choice program." As a part of this docket the Commission also may consider making use of the experience with residential gas choice in the Northern Illinois markets to enhance its understanding of customer benefits from choice

RESA sought to file comments on the report, stating that the report fails to accurately represent how close modified proposals from Ameren and RESA were to each other, especially with respect to the initial phase of an SVT Program. RESA also said that the four options listed at the end of the Report for Commission consideration were too limited.

The ICC denied RESA's request to accept comments on the report

Docket 14-0097