State Regulator Opens Docket To Investigate Moving All Hardship, Vulnerable Customers To Default Service

The Connecticut PURA has assigned 18-06-02 for a review of the feasibility, costs and benefits of placing certain customers on Standard Service pursuant to Conn. Gen. Stat. § 16-245o(m)

Other than a general description of the request for the docket assignment, no substantive filings were yet made in the docket

As previously reported, the Consumer Counsel had requested initiation of such a docket

The Reason For Request for the docket states, "The General Statutes of Connecticut §16-245o(m) permits the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (Authority) to initiate a docket to review the feasibility, costs and benefits of placing on standard service all customers of all electric suppliers (1) who are hardship cases for purpose of subdivision (3) of subsection (b) of section 16-262c, (2) having moneys due and owing deducted from such customer bills by the electric distribution company pursuant to subdivision (4) of subsection (b) of section 16-262c, (3) receiving other financial assistance from an electric distribution company, or (4) who are otherwise protected by law from shutoff of electricity services. The statute permits the Authority in a final Decision to order all such customers to be placed on standard service."

"Based on the foregoing and pursuant to the Conn. Gen. Stat. §16-245o(m), an uncontested docket should be opened to review the feasibility, costs and benefits of transferring to standard service all customers referred to in Conn. Gen. Stat. §16-245o(m) and, depending on the results of the review, to implement the Legislature’s suggested order," the Reason For Request for the docket states