Pennsylvania PUC To Consider Changes To PA Power Switch, Presentation of Products

At last week's National Energy Marketers Association Mid-Atlantic Energy Summit, Dan Mumford, Director of the Pennsylvania PUC's Office of Competitive Market Oversight (OCMO), said that the PUC expects to have discussions in the coming months concerning changes to the PUC's Power to Choose electricity shopping website and its presentation of products.

Mumford noted a number of retail market rulemakings that are currently before the PUC, including potential changes to disclosure rules, such as how to present prices. As previously reported, a proposed rule would require that generation charges shall be disclosed according to the actual prices, "per kilowatt-hour."

However, in proposing that all rates be quoted "per kWh", the PUC in its order proposing such a rule noted that such a requirement may also present challenges to innovative product structures made possible through advanced meters. In December 2017, the PUC stated, "We recognize that as we move forward to an electric market with advanced metering technology, new products and pricing structures are possible. We invite parties to comment on the need for this regulation to accommodate these possibilities; or at the least, not to obstruct or be an obstacle to future innovations."

Mumford said that how PA Power Switch presents prices would be impacted by final adjudication of such proposals.

Mumford said that the PUC would consider how to accommodate diverse products on PA Power Switch, such as those enabled by smart meters.

Mumford said that the PUC would consider how to highlight more than just price on PA Power Switch, and how to highlight renewable energy, time of use, and demand response/load management products.