Regulator's Staff Proposes Schedule, Decision Date For Investigation Of Retail Supplier Offers, May Condition Access To Utilities' Systems Based On Such Findings

Staff of the Connecticut PURA have proposed a schedule for PURA's review of retail electric supplier offers under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 16-245(a), to be followed by the periodic review of the placement of all utility hardship customers on default service

As exclusively first reported by EnergyChoiceMatters.com, PURA earlier agreed that retail supplier offers should be reviewed as the first phase of the proceeding, before proceeding to reviewing whether hardship customers should remain exclusively on default service

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 16-245(a) provides, in part, that the Authority, "shall have the authority to condition an electric supplier's license and access to the systems and billing of the electric distribution companies on terms the authority determines to be just and reasonable, including, but not limited to, proof that the electric supplier's products are not overpriced or harmful to residential customers."

Staff noted that parties may need to obtain expert witnesses and said that the proposed schedule (key dates below), "attempts to reflect the extensive discovery and motions practice likely necessary for this investigation and the necessity to employ expert witnesses."

"The schedule includes a proposal for Phase II [hardship & default service], but the second phase of the docket may be significantly impacted by the ruling in the first phase, resulting in a later need to readdress the Phase II schedule," Staff noted

Key dates in the proposed schedule for the review of suppliers' offers are:

• Discovery concludes – September 30, 2022

• Pre-filed testimony due – November 18, 2022

• Hearing – December 2022

• Draft Decision issued – February 2023

• Final Decision – February 2023

Key dates in the proposed schedule for the review of keeping hardship customers on default service are:

• Discovery concludes – July 28, 2023

• Pre-filed testimony due – September 8, 2023

• Hearing – September/October 2023

• Draft Decision issued – November 2023

• Final Decision – December 2023

Docket No. 18-06-02RE01