Regulator's Staff Directs Retail Suppliers To Report Cost of Amenities Provided To Customers, Proof Of Claimed "Value"

In a Connecticut PURA proceeding implementing PURA's authority to condition access to utility systems on all retail electric supplier offers being just and reasonable, including, but not limited to, proof that the electric supplier's products are not overpriced or harmful to residential customers (Conn. Gen Stat. § 16-245(a)), PURA's Office of Education, Outreach, and Enforcement (EOE) has issued interrogatories to several suppliers seeking further information about amenities and other perks provided to customers

In response to prior interrogatories, several suppliers reported offering to customers, as part of their electricity plans -- bundled or otherwise provided to customers -- amenities such as LED lights and/or smart bulbs, smart plugs, Nest devices, cameras, and similar smart and/or connected devices

EOE directs such suppliers to, "substantiate and/or provide proof of the value you attributed to each amenity."

EOE further directed that the suppliers, "indicate the amount you paid for each of the amenities listed [in each supplier's prior response]."

Several suppliers reported that they offered rewards or similar programs. To such suppliers, EOE asked in a data request: "Are the reward dollars equivalent to both the cost to the Company and value to the customer? If not, please provide additional details regarding the cost and value, specifically indicating if one reward dollar equals one U.S. dollar (i.e., if a customer spends $50 reward dollars, do they obtain a product worth $50 U.S. dollars?)."

EOE further asked, "Does the Company receive any discounts, rebates, or other form of benefit and/or compensation from the purchase of the reward dollars or the customers’ redemption of the reward dollars? If so, identify the applicable amounts per year."

Docket No. 18-06-02RE01