February 21, 2014
New York to Require ESCOs to Disclose Historic Pricing, Places Emphasis on Value-Added Services
New York ESCOs will be required to disclose their pricing history for certain products, the New York PSC said yesterday.
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February 21, 2014
New York to Require Door-to-Door, Telemarketing Sales to be Third-Party Verified
The New York PSC will require door-to-door and telephone sales of energy services to include independent third-party verification of those sales, the PSC said in a press release yesterday.
February 21, 2014
Pennsylvania to Investigate Requiring Advance Notice of Variable Rate Changes, Rate History Disclosures
With more than 750 high bill informal complaints filed by consumers so far this year, the Pennsylvania PUC has opened an investigation into disclosures and other regulations governing variable rate electric contracts (Docket M-2014-2406134).
February 13, 2014
Texas Consumer Groups Seek More Granular Retail Electric Complaint Data
Texas Legal Services Center and the Texas Ratepayers Organization to Save Energy requested that the Public Utility Commission of Texas publish more granular complaint data regarding retail electric providers.
February 10, 2014
NEM Working on Self-Policing, Potential "Seal of Approval" for Retail Energy Industry
The National Energy Marketers Association announced that its members are working on examining and developing the next steps, after NEM's National Standards of Conduct, to ensure a positive energy consumer shopping experience, including potentially self-policing mechanisms and/or a NEM seal of…
February 4, 2014
Texas Retail Providers Press for Prohibition on Use of Utility Brand by Affiliate Offering Competitive Electric Service
A group of Texas retail electric providers have asked the Public Utility Commission of Texas to adopt changes to the Substantive Rules to prohibit the sharing of a brand by a regulated transmission and distribution utility and an affiliate offering competitive electric service.
February 3, 2014
Briefly
PUC Rejects Default Service Solicitation Results
February 3, 2014
Democrats Propose Stricter Marketing, Disclosure Rules for Electric Suppliers (Including No Termination Fee for First 30 Days)
Connecticut Democrats have revealed a 2014 legislative agenda including a host of new regulations for electric supplier sales and marketing.
January 28, 2014
AARP Seeks Status Update of New York Case That Could Ban Door-to-Door Marketing, Restrict Customer Eligibility for Choice, and End POR
AARP New York has asked the New York PSC for a status update concerning a wide-ranging retail energy market investigation which, among other things, is considering permissible sales and marketing practices for ESCOs, as well as the potential elimination of purchase of receivables without recourse.
January 13, 2014
Choice Approved in New Service Territory with Nearly 1 Million Customers, With Additional Consumer Protections
In a recent rate case, the Illinois Commerce Commission approved the expansion of natural gas choice to small volume customers at Ameren Illinois.
December 19, 2013
Ohio Adopts Stricter Marketing, Certification Rules for Retail Gas Suppliers
The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio has adopted revised rules relating to the certification of retail natural gas suppliers, and sales and marketing rules for retail gas suppliers.
December 19, 2013
Ohio Adopts Stricter Marketing Rules for Retail Electric Suppliers (Criminal Background Checks, TPVs Included)
The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio has adopted revised rules relating to the certification of Competitive Retail Electric Service (CRES) providers, including retail suppliers, aggregators, brokers, and marketers, and the sales and marketing rules for CRES providers.
December 13, 2013
Texas Staff Propose Questions Regarding REP Sharing of Customer Information
Staff of the Public Utility Commission of Texas has proposed a series of questions for stakeholder comment in a project (42030) evaluating the sharing of customer information with third parties for customer approved services, "to gather information to assist staff in evaluating the Commission's…
December 13, 2013
Texas Staff File Proposed Revisions Related to Utility/Affiliate Code of Conduct, Marketing Rules
Staff of the Public Utility Commission of Texas have filed a draft proposal for publication containing proposed revisions to Subst. R. 25.272, relating to Code of Conduct for electric utilities and their affiliates.
December 12, 2013
Regulator Adopts Assurance of Voluntary Compliance with Retail Supplier Over Contract Audit
The Ontario Energy Board has accepted an Assurance of Voluntary Compliance filed by Summitt Energy Management Inc. concerning the result of a Board staff review of customer contracts.
December 4, 2013
Retail Supplier to Pay $59,000 to Settle Alleged Slamming, Marketing Violations
ResCom Energy LLC would pay $59,000 under a settlement with the Pennsylvania PUC's Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement (I&E) to resolve an investigation into alleged slamming, Do Not Call violations, and other marketing violations.
November 18, 2013
PSC Places Retail Supplier on Probation; Warns Future Violations May Lead to Immediate License Revocation; Reinstates Supplier's Door-to-Door Marketing Authority
The New York PSC reinstated Liberty Power Holdings LLC's ability to conduct door-to-door marketing, but placed the supplier on probation during which time, "any Liberty Power UBP marketing violations may subject Liberty Power to immediate revocation of its authority to act as an ESCO in New York."
November 15, 2013
Regulator Intends to Fine Retail Supplier $60,000
The Ontario Energy Board announced an intention to issue an order requiring Just Energy Ontario LP to comply with a number of enforceable provisions and to pay an administrative penalty in the amount of $60,000 (all $ Canadian), "for breaches of enforceable provisions."
November 15, 2013
Fixed Means Fixed: Pennsylvania Bans ALL Pass-Throughs Under Fixed Price Contracts
The Pennsylvania PUC has adopted a definition for fixed price electricity contracts that bans any and all pass-throughs under such contracts.
November 14, 2013
State to Consider Prohibiting Automatic Contract Renewal, Supplier-Initiated Contract Terminations
In a wide-ranging retail market order issued yesterday, the Maine PUC said that it will reopen the customer protection provisions of Chapter 305 to consider the following provisions:
November 11, 2013
Illinois Adopts First Notice Order to Set Government Aggregation Rules, Including Minimum Opt-Out Period
The Illinois Commerce Commission has approved a first notice order to adopt rules concerning procedures governing opt-in and opt-out municipal aggregations. The rules will now be sent to the Secretary of State.
November 1, 2013
Retail Supplier Seeks Reinstatement of Door-to-Door Marketing Authority, Citing "Deleterious Financial Impacts" from Door-to-Door Suspension
Liberty Power Holdings, LLC asked the New York PSC, in light of Liberty's remediation and compliance program, to enter an order reinstating Liberty Power's eligibility to conduct door-to-door marketing in New York, citing the, "deleterious financial impacts on the [c]ompany," from a prior suspension…
October 18, 2013
Pennsylvania Approves Stipulated Fines on Two Retail Suppliers
The Pennsylvania PUC approved in final orders, without substantive modification, separate settlements with AP Gas & Electric (PA), LLC, d/b/a APG&E, and with IDT Energy, Inc., concerning various alleged violations of marketing and customer protection provisions.
October 18, 2013
New York Orders ESCO to Continue Suspension of Marketing to Residential Customers
The New York PSC found that remedial measures taken by Buy Energy Direct, LLC have reduced customer complaints concerning marketing, but because the measures have not yet been proven in the long-term, the PSC ordered that Buy Energy Direct's decision to suspend direct marketing to residential…
October 16, 2013
Utility Proposes Changes to Choice Program, Including Mandatory Rate Board and PSC Staff Review of Supplier Pricing
DTE Gas Company (MichCon) has filed with the Michigan PSC changes to its voluntarily offered natural gas customer choice program, including the creation of a mandatory supplier rate board, and PSC Staff review of pricing