Regulator Schedules Hearing In Review Of Moving All Hardship Customers To Default Service

The Connecticut PURA has scheduled the dates for a hearing on its proceeding reviewing feasibility, costs, and benefits of placing hardship customers on Standard Service pursuant to Conn. Gen. Stat. Section 16-245o(m)

The hearing will commence July 16. If necessary, the hearing will be continued on July 17 and July 18. The Authority may continue the hearing on additional dates, as deemed necessary.

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

As only reported by EnergyChoiceMatters.com (see story here), the Connecticut Office of Consumer Counsel has filed testimony in which OCC says that, from October 2016 through September 2018, hardship customers on competitive retail supply paid $7.2 million more than they would have under default service, as OCC said that retail suppliers should be prohibited from entering into new contracts with hardship customers

The Retail Energy Supply Association filed testimony showing savings under retail choice versus the latest Standard Service rates, but proffered several alternatives to the extent PURA reaches a conclusion that hardship customers are not sufficiently benefiting from competitive retail supply options under today’s policies (see our exclusive prior story for details on the proposals)