Regulator Drops Earlier Proposal That Retail Supplier Renewal Offers Include "Side By Side" Comparison of Rates Under Current Contract, Renewal Offer

In a proposed second notice order to adopt a host of new retail electric marketing rules, an Illinois ALJ is proposing to drop an earlier proposal that would have required a "side by side" comparison of current and new rates when a customer is provided a renewal offer or notice.

Under an earlier first notice order, for automatic renewals where the initial term of the contract was six months or more and where the contract automatically renews for a specified term of more than one month, proposed rules would have required suppliers to send customers a separate renewal notice which included, if the new contract’s terms differ from the existing contract, "a side-by-side comparison of the existing terms and the new terms."

The same side-by-side requirement would have also been required for renewal offers provided to customers on contracts which do not automatically renew

The proposed second notice order eliminates this side-by-side comparison for both types of renewals described above, instead requiring that, where the new contract’s terms differ from the existing contract, the retail supplier shall include a uniform disclosure statement for the renewal offer

The proposed second notice order retains the proposed requirement that, in addition to a mailed (or emailed if agreed to by the customer) automatic renewal notice, suppliers shall also call customers twice concerning the upcoming automatic renewal (except in cases where the supplier has no record of the customer's phone number), providing certain information included in the written notice, including information concerning the new rate.

The provisions described herein only apply to residential and small commercial customers

Docket 15-0512