Texas PUC Staff File Draft Proposal For Publication Which Includes Proposed Requirement That REPs Offer Ability To Pay Deposits >$50 In Two Installments To All Small Volume Customers

Staff has filed a revised draft proposal for publication concerning changes to various customer protections extended to Lite-Up customers under the current rules due to the elimination of the SBF

Staff's changes incorporate the direction from the Commission at its most recent open meeting, where the Commission agreed to incorporate changes to the PFP recommended by Chairman DeAnn Walker

As previously reported (see details here), Walker urged the Commission via the PFP to consider requiring that retail electric providers provide all residential customers with the ability to pay any required deposit that exceeds $50 in two installments.

Walker also requested that the PFP include specific questions regarding costs, if any, that REPs would incur from adoption of such a rule

Walker requested that the Commission also consider having the Commission Staff draft an additional section in the proposed rules that would require retail electric providers to file annual reports on the available bill assistance programs, discounts, or other benefits the retail electric providers offer to their customers.

Staff's revised draft PFP incorporates these changes as follows:

1. Proposed 16 TAC §§25.480(g) and (n) and 25.491 have been revised to require each REP's annual report to include information regarding the bill assistance programs, discounts, or other benefits that a REP offers to its customers.

2. The draft PFP has been revised throughout by incorporating the proposed rule language set out in Chairman Walker's memorandum, which would require REPs to extend for all customers (within various Subst. R. which apply only to residential or, as applicable, only residential and small commercial) an option to pay deposits over $50 in two installments.

3. Pages 3-4 of the draft PFP have been revised to solicit comments on the question set out in Chairman Walker's memorandum.

4. A proposed new 16 TAC § 25.45 is included in the revised draft PFP, which defines the responsibilities of the Low-Income List Administrator, describes the low-income customer identification process, and states that the Commission shall maintain a project in which REPs may elect to obtain the low-income matching list from the Low-Income List Administrator.

Project 47343