PSC Sets Start Dates For New SOS, Retail Supplier Time Of Use Pilots

The Maryland PSC has accepted a revised implementation schedule for the introduction of Time Of Use generation rates to be offered by the utilities to SOS customers, and for an RFP to select retail suppliers to offer TOU pilot plans

As previously reported, the PSC recently adopted further parameters for the SOS and retail supply TOU generation rate pilots. With regards to the retail supplier pilots, the utilities will conduct an RFP to select up to two retail suppliers offering a TOU plan per service area. See more details in our prior story

Given the passage of time during PSC consideration of final program design, the PSC approved a revision to the TOU schedule proposed by the leaders of a TOU workgroup

Under the schedule approved by the PSC, the Supplier RFP Release Date will be July 20, 2018. The Supplier RFP Eligibility window will close on August 20. The joint utilities will submit retail supplier bids in response to the RFPs to Commission Staff for review on August 24, 2018

Under the schedule, the Commission is to select any winning retail suppliers by October 31, 2018

For the SOS TOU pilot, the start of exposure to pilot TOU rates would be no later than April 1, 2019, rather than a start of January 1, 2019. The workgroup leaders said that a January start would expose customers to high winter heating bills in the first months of the pilot.