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December 15, 2020
Regulator's Staff Proposes Product, Rate Increase Limitations; Auto-Renewal Rules
The aggregate cost to low-income natural gas customers on competitive supply at National Grid Gas in Massachusetts was 108% higher than the default service cost, according to a filed presentation from Massachusetts DPU Staff.
December 11, 2020
Staff of the Public Utility Commission of Texas have filed an updated draft to the electric scope of competition report which now includes Staff's proposed legislative recommendations, including a recommendation that the Legislature clarify that an electric vehicle charging station is not an…
December 9, 2020
AEP Texas North has proposed how to dispose of unused funds remaining under a closed program that reimbursed Texas retail electric providers for providing no-cost programmable communicating thermostats (PCT) and in-home displays (IHD) to eligible low-income customers.
November 12, 2020
A Pennsylvania ALJ has issued a recommended decision addressing the default service plan of Duquesne Light Company (DLC or the Company) for the four-year period commencing on June 1,2021, and ending on May 31, 2025 (DSP IX).
October 15, 2020
A Pennsylvania ALJ has issued a recommended decision in PPL Electric's default service proceeding for the period June 1, 2021, through May 31, 2025
October 2, 2020
Also Directs Development Of Options For Consolidated Billing For Community Solar
The New Jersey BPU has issued a proposed rule by which municipal-owned, 100% low- and moderate-income (LMI) community solar projects may submit an application for a project that automatically enrolls customers and then allows them to "opt-out" from participating in the project (Docket No. QX20090594…
October 1, 2020
Duquesne Light Company ("Duquesne Light", "DLC," or the "Company"), the Coalition for Affordable Utility Services and Energy Efficiency in Pennsylvania ("CAUSE-PA"), and the Pennsylvania Office of Consumer Advocate ("OCA") filed a non-unanimous, partial stipulation concerning Duquesne Light's…
September 17, 2020
The District of Columbia PSC granted in part a motion filed by the D.C. Office of People's Counsel to compel Washington Gas Light to provide to OPC various billing data to assist OPC in its evaluation of the retail market and comparison of default service rates with rates by customers served by…
August 27, 2020
At today's open meeting of the Public Utility Commission of Texas, the PUC adopted an order concerning the wind-down of the COVID-19 Electricity Relief Program (ERP), which includes the provision of benefits, through September 30, 2020, to eligible customers who have enrolled in the program.
August 26, 2020
Regulator Will Continue To Monitor POR, Says Changes "Warranted" If Cost Effective
In a final interim decision in its review of potential changes to the electric purchase of receivables (POR) mechanism, the Connecticut PURA finds that changes do not appear to be cost effective at this time, but finds that changes, "would be warranted," if later found to be cost effective
August 21, 2020
Staff of the Public Utility Commission of Texas have proposed the individual amounts to be allocated to individual retail electric providers for provision of the low-income customer identification service for the State fiscal year beginning on September 1, 2020 (FY 2021).
August 13, 2020
Separate Requirement For REPs To Offer Deferred Payment Plans Will Remain In Place
At today's Texas PUC open meeting, Commissioners agreed with a Staff proposal concerning the wind-down of the COVID-19 Electricity Relief Program (ERP), including Staff's proposal that benefits continue through September 30, 2020.
August 10, 2020
Staff of the Public Utility Commission of Texas have recommended that program benefits under the COVID-19 Electricity Relief Program end on September 30, 2020.
July 30, 2020
The Connecticut PURA issued a proposed interim decision in its review of the electricity purchase of receivables mechanism, under which PURA would maintain the current mechanism only because alternatives have not been found to be cost effective, as PURA warned that future changes would be warranted…
July 23, 2020
The Maryland Office of People's Counsel reported that low-income residential customers who are served by a competitive retail electric supplier at the Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative (SMECO) paid, on average, about $20,000 more in aggregate than what they would have paid under SOS, in each of…
July 20, 2020
The Massachusetts electric and natural gas utilities have reported "incremental" supply costs paid by low-income customers on competitive supply versus basic service, as well as the impact on the Residential Assistance Adjustment Factors (RAAF)
July 16, 2020
Orders REPs To Continue Offering Deferred Payment Plans To Customers Upon Request
As expected, the Texas PUC today adopted an order to extend the Electricity Relief Program (ERP) until August 31, 2020
July 10, 2020
UtiliSave, L.L.C., a utility auditing consultant, and the Public Utility Law Project of New York filed separate comments at the New York PSC concerning customer relief measures related to COVID-19, and both implicated ESCO service in their responses
July 9, 2020
The Maryland Public Service Commission will hold a public conference over the course of two days to gauge the impact that COVID-19 has had on, among other things, "consumer protections," in the electric and other utility industries.
July 2, 2020
In a news release, the Texas PUC said, "To date, more than 106,000 Texans have enrolled in the program [ERP] either online or by phone. Counting Texans in the program due to their inclusion on the state’s low income list (due to participation in SNAP or MEDICAID), the ERP program is currently…
June 29, 2020
PECO Energy Company petitioned the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission for expedited approval of several temporary universal service measures, "designed to address the current economic hardships faced by low-income customers as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and provide additional…
June 17, 2020
As part of its new proceeding (story here) examining the impact of the competitive retail electric and gas markets on low-income customers and ratepayer subsidies, the Massachusetts DPU has issued information requests to the electric and natural gas distribution companies directing the utilities the…
June 12, 2020
During today's open meeting, Texas PUC Chairman DeAnn T. Walker said that she would like the Electricity Relief Program to wind down by the end of the year.
June 11, 2020
The New York State Public Service Commission (Commission), in response to the impact of the COVID pandemic on New York’s utilities and ratepayers, established a new proceeding to identify and address the effects of the pandemic on utility and other Commission-regulated services and programs in New…
June 11, 2020
Regulator To Issue Discovery Requests
The Massachusetts DPU has issued an order to expand the scope of its ongoing review of the competitive retail electricity and natural gas markets (D.P.U. 19-07) to include an inquiry into the effect of the electric and gas competitive supply markets on low-income ratepayer assistance programs.
