Md. Code Regs. 20.63.04.01

Current through Register Vol. 51, No. 22, November 1, 2024

Section 20.63.04.01 - Transition from Standard Offer Service

A. Customer Information Update for the Opt-Out Notice. A county may request, from an electric company, the data provided under COMAR 20.63.03.04C.

B. CCA Opt-Out Notice. No less than 45 days prior to the start of CCA service, a county shall mail a notice, including the following information, to all residential and small commercial customers:

(1) Name, Commission Supplier License number, and identification of which Aggregation Suppliers are providing CCA Basic Service and, if applicable, CCA Optional Services;

(2) Terms and conditions of service for CCA Basic Service and, if applicable, CCA Optional Services;

(3) Rates, charges, and fees for CCA Basic Service and, if applicable, CCA Optional Services;

(4) A comparison of the CCA Basic Service and CCA Optional Services rates with applicable SOS rates;

(5) Information on how a customer may select:

(a) SOS service by contacting the electric company;

(b) CCA service by responding to the notice affirmatively selecting the CCA or through a direct application process; or

(c) Competitive retail supply by visiting the Commission's shopping website (www.mdelectricchoice.com) and contacting a competitive supplier to enroll;

(6) Information on the total renewable component of electricity provided under:

(a) CCA Basic Service; or

(b) CCA Optional Supply Services, if applicable;

(7) A comparison of the renewable content of the CCA Basic Service with that required by current State law;

(8) An explanation of the following enrollment procedures:

(a) The means a customer may use to refuse to participate in the CCA service;

(b) That the customer will receive CCA Basic Service if they take no action unless the customer is served by a retail supplier; and

(c) That the CCA will not switch a customer on a retail choice contract to the CCA without the customer's affirmative selection of the applicable CCA service;

(9) Information on how to access a copy of the CCA's customer information privacy policy;

(10) Information about customer protection; and

(11) A reference to the CCA's website for the information in this section.

C. Notice of Opportunity to Opt-Out of CCA Service. The CCA shall provide, in the notice required in §B of this regulation, instructions on all methods by which a customer can refuse or opt out of CCA Basic Service by:

(1) Responding to the CCA with the customer's choice to refuse to participate;

(2) Request of the customer to the electric company to choose to retain or select SOS; or

(3) Contracting for retail supply from another retail electricity supplier.

D. Processing of Opt-Out Notices and Enrollments.

(1) A county in the process of forming a CCA shall be prepared to accept and record a customer's request to opt-out of CCA service no less than 1 day prior to sending the notice required by Public Utilities Article, §7-510.3 (d)(1)(ii), Annotated Code of Maryland.

(2) Opt-Out Period. A county shall allow a customer at least 36 days from the date of mailing to respond to the opt-out notice described in §B of this regulation before determining the customer's choice of the CCA.

(3) Provision of Account Numbers. An electric company shall provide, upon request of a CCA, an update of the list provided under COMAR 20.63.03.04C with the following modifications:

(a) An electric company shall provide account numbers solely for customers who are not, as of the date and time the report is generated, enrolled with a retail supplier or have not contacted the electric company to select SOS.

(b) An electric company shall notify the CCA of a customer's request to retain or select SOS.

(c) Any additional information needed by the CCA to enroll a customer to CCA supply service shall be provided by an electric company for customer accounts for which account numbers are provided according to §D(3)(a) of this regulation.

(4) A CCA may not enroll a customer who contacts the CCA or the customer's electric company to refuse participation in the CCA unless the customer subsequently affirmatively selects the CCA.

(5) A CCA may transmit enrollment information to an electric company according to the terms of the electric company's tariff, subject to the following limitations:

(a) Enrollments may not be effective prior to the date approved by the Commission in the CCA's transition schedule.

(b) Unless otherwise agreed to by the electric company, a CCA may not transmit to a single electric company more than 10,000 account enrollments per day.

E. Basic Service Offerings.

(1) A CCA shall offer a single CCA Basic Service for residential customers in each applicable electric company service territory.

(2) A CCA shall offer a single CCA Basic Service for small commercial electric customers in each applicable electric company service territory.

F. Transaction Error Handling. The provisions of COMAR 20.53.04.03 shall apply to an Aggregation Supplier.

Md. Code Regs. 20.63.04.01

Regulation .01 adopted effective 51:2 Md. R. 76, eff. 2/5/2024