Regulator Issues $240,000 Notice Of Violation Against Retail Supplier

The Connecticut PURA recently issued a Notice of Violation and Assessment of a Civil Penalty (NOV) against Abest Power & Gas, LLC (Abest or Company) in the amount of $240,982.

Abest on April 9 requested a hearing on the Notice of Violation. The NOV does not represent final agency action.

In the NOV, PURA alleged, "the Authority has reason to believe that Abest failed to submit receipts demonstrating compliance with Connecticut’s Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS). The Authority hereby puts Abest on notice that if it fails to submit such receipts before May 13, 2019, the Authority will consider the assessment of additional civil penalties."

PURA alleged that, in its 2016 RPS Compliance Decision (issued January 23, 2019), PURA required Abest to submit receipts showing alternative compliance payments (ACPs) of $1,276,637 to The Connecticut Light and Power Company, $281,625 to The United Illuminating Company and $48,283 to the Clean Energy Fund (CEF) by February 13, 2019.

In the NOV dated March 20, 2019, PURA alleged, "To date, Abest has not complied with the requirements in Order No. 2."

PURA said that the civil penalty amount of $240,982 is equal to 5% of the required ACP for every month that the payment is alleged to be late.

Docket No. 17-06-23