The Regulatory Mix, TMI’s daily blog of regulatory activities, is a snapshot of PUC, FCC, legislative, and occasionally court, issues that our regulatory monitoring team uncovers each day. Depending on their significance, some items may be the subject of a TMI Regulatory Bulletin.
USAC
USAC announced it will hold another “NLAD Duplicate Resolution Webinar” on June 10, 2014. The webinar is very similar to the ones presented on March 13, April 15, and May 13; 20014. Webinar topics include: (1) an overview of the duplicate resolution process; (2) identifying duplicate subscribers; (3) notifications to subscribers; (4) carrier responsibility; (5) how to pull the duplicate subscriber report; and (6) questions and answers.
ENERGY
Pennsylvania
The PUC has issued a series of Press Releases to help educate consumers about variable rates and encourage them to keep shopping for electric suppliers.
- Several updates were made at PAPowerSwitch.com to address this winter’s variable rate issues in the retail electricity market, including additional information on types of rates. One of the additions is a “Things to Consider when Choosing a Fixed or Variable Rate” box on the shopping page, which leads to information and a chart on the differences between fixed and variable rates.
- A two-minute video is available on PAPowerSwitch.com, the PUC website, and YouTube to educate consumers on what it means to shop for electricity and how to shop. The video explains the three services involved to deliver electricity to residents: generation, transmission and distribution. The supplier – or electric generation service – generates or buys the electricity; the transmission service connects the supplier to the distribution company; and the distribution company, or local utility, delivers the electricity to homes and businesses.
- The PUC reminds consumers, that with the start of summer heat, now is the time to take control of their electric bill by implementing energy conservation measures and double checking their electric supply pricing and contract. Information on the types of contracts being offered by competitive suppliers, such as fixed and variable electric rates, is available at PAPowerSwitch.com. Consumers are advised not to sign a contract without knowing the length of the contract, the price, whether it is fixed or variable, and whether there are any early termination fees.
Under current regulations it can take between 11 and 40 days to switch electric suppliers. On April 3, 2014, the PUC approved regulations that require the utility to accelerate switching time frames through off-cycle meter readings, which will allow consumers to switch suppliers within three business days once the utility has been notified. The changes should go into effect in 2015. TMI Regulatory Bulletin Service subscribers see Bulletin dated April 10, 2014.
