PUCO Awards To Retail Supplier 100% of Certain Low-Income Customer Load At Duke Energy Ohio

The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio has awarded, to a retail electric supplier, 100% of the load of electricity Percentage of Income Payment Plan (PIPP) customers at the Duke Energy Ohio for the term June 1, 2018 through May 31, 2019

As previously reported, an initial auction held earlier this year for a retail supplier to serve the PIPP load did not produce any conforming bids. In such initial auction, bids had to beat a benchmark that is based on SSO auction pricing.

A supplemental RFP, with no price to beat, is held if no load is awarded in the initial auction. Retail providers may submit bids to serve the PIPP load at any price under the supplemental auction.

The supplemental competitive RFP auction was successful in procuring supply for 100% of the Duke Energy Ohio PIPP load for the June 1, 2018, to May 31, 2019, delivery period. PUCO accepted results of the supplemental auction

An auction report did not explicitly specify in its non-redacted section whether the load was awarded to a single retail supplier or multiple suppliers, although it stated that the winning "bidder" would be contacted.

Additionally, PUCO in its order accepting the auction results stated, "the Commission finds that the winning bidder and winning bid price," shall remain confidential until all of the scheduled RFP auctions for the delivery year have been completed.