Utility Agrees To Notify Recently Switched Customers Of Incorrect Default Service Rate, Will Compensate Customers For Any Early Termination Fees If Customers Wish To Return To Default Service

United Illuminating informed the Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority that it will conduct an outreach campaign to inform recently switched customers of erroneous standard service (SS) rates that had been publicly posted, and will compensate customers for any early termination fees incurred by such customers if they wish to return to standard service

As exclusively first reported by EnergyChoiceMatters.com, United Illuminating had informed the Connecticut PURA on May 24 that its previous submission of standard service rates, for all standard service customer classes, for the period beginning July 1, 2019 were incorrect

On average across various customer classes, the incorrect standard service rates that were posted were approximately 0.6 cents per kWh higher than the correct rates

For residential customers, UI's correct Standard Service rate effective July 1 is 8.3532 cents per kWh, versus the previously filed incorrect rate of 8.9752 cents per kWh. The current January-June residential standard service rate is 11.2263¢/kWh cents per kWh

"In the interest of providing a high level of customer service, UI has developed and will implement an outreach campaign with such customers a) informing them of the standard service rate error, b) allowing them to switch to standard service or another supplier, and c) compensating the customer for any supplier cancellation fee resulting from a switch of supplier," UI told PURA

UI reported that roughly 3,500 customers that either switched suppliers or switched from standard service to a supplier from May 3 to June 4.

UI included in a filing to PURA a letter that UI will send to customers.

Such letter encourages customers to, "Please review your generation services supplier choice, and if the corrected rates have impacted your supplier choice, consider taking additional steps based on the correct SS rates, which may include re-enrolling with that supplier or another supplier, or reverting to SS."

UI will reimburse customers for any supplier cancellation fee resulting from a switch of supplier.

UI will mail the letter to customers on June 7

"This plan should allow affected customers at least three weeks’ time ahead of the start of any July standard service usage so that they may reevaluate and potentially change their supplier selection," UI said

Docket 19-01-02