In Proceeding Examining Ban On Shopping For Hardship Customers, Regulator Concerned With POR Mechanics

The Connecticut PURA scheduled for January 15, 2019 a technical meeting Docket No. 18-06-02, Review Of Feasibility, Costs And Benefits Of Placing Certain Customers On Standard Service Pursuant To Conn. Gen. Stat. Section 16-245o(m)

As first reported by EnergyChoiceMatters.com, the Connecticut PURA opened a Docket 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). 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

The purpose of the meeting will be to discuss the responses to OCC’s interrogatories and the feasibility, costs, and benefits of placing customers on standard service pursuant to Conn. Gen. Stat. § 16-245o(m).

For purposes of the meeting, the Authority also requested that the electric distribution companies designated as participants come prepared with information to discuss the process regarding purchase of receivables when a customer does not pay his bill, specifically noting how much electric suppliers are paid under such circumstances.