Current through Register Vol. 54, No. 44, November 2, 2024
Section 54.188 - Commission review of default service programs and rates(a) A DSP shall file a plan or amended plan for competitive procurement with the Commission and obtain Commission approval of the plan or amended plan considering the standards in 66 Pa.C.S. § 2807(e)(3.1), (3.2), (3.3) and (3.4) (relating to duties of electric distribution companies) before the competitive process is implemented. The Commission will hold hearings as necessary on the proposed plan or amended plan. A default service program will initially be referred to the Office of Administrative Law Judge for further proceedings as may be required.(b) If the Commission fails to issue a final order on the plan or amended plan within 9 months of the date the plan or amended plan is filed, the plan or amended plan will be deemed approved and the DSP may implement the plan or amended plan as filed. Costs incurred through an approved competitive procurement plan will be deemed to be the least cost over time as required under 66 Pa.C.S. § 2807(e)(3.4)(ii).(c) Upon entry of the Commission's final order, a DSP shall acquire generation supply for the period of service in a manner consistent with the terms of the approved procurement and implementation plans and consistent with the standards identified in § 54.186 (relating to default service procurement and implementation plans).(d) The Commission may initiate an investigation regarding implementation of the DSP's default service program and, at the conclusion of the investigation, order remedies as may be lawful and appropriate. The Commission will not deny the DSP the recovery of its reasonable costs for purchases made pursuant to an approved competitive procurement process unless the DSP concealed or misled the Commission regarding its adherence to the program, or otherwise violated the provisions of this subchapter or the code. Except as provided under the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards Act (73 P. S. § § 1648.1-1648.8), the Commission may not order a DSP to procure power from a specific generation supplier, from a specific generation fuel type or from new generation only. At the time the Commission evaluates the plan and prior to approval, the Commission will consider the default service provider's obligation to provide adequate and reliable service to customers and that the DSP has obtained a prudent mix of contracts to obtain least cost on a long-term, short-term and spot market basis. The Commission will make specific findings which include: (1) The DSP's plan includes prudent steps necessary to negotiate favorable generation supply contracts through a competitive procurement process.(2) The DSP's plan includes prudent steps necessary to obtain least cost generation supply contracts on a long-term, short-term and spot market basis.(3) Neither the DSP nor its affiliated interest has withheld from the market any generation supply in a manner that violates Federal law.(e) A DSP shall adhere to the following procedures in obtaining approval of default service rates and providing notice to default service customers: (1) A DSP shall provide all customers notice of the filing of a default service program in a similar manner as found in § 53.68 (relating to notice requirements).(2) A DSP shall provide all customers notice of the initial default service rates and terms and conditions of service 60 days before their effective date, or 30 days after bidding has concluded, whichever is sooner, unless another time period is approved by the Commission. The DSP shall provide written notice to the named parties identified in § 54.185(b) (relating to default service programs and periods of service) containing an explanation of the methodology used to calculate the price for electric service.(3) After the initial steps of a default service procurement and implementation plan are completed, the DSP shall file with the Commission tariff supplements designed to reflect, for each customer class, the rates to be charged for default service. The tariff supplements shall be accompanied by supporting documentation adequate to demonstrate adherence to the procurement plan approved by the Commission, the procurement plan results and the translation of those results into customer rates.(4) A customer or party identified in § 54.185(b) may file exceptions to the initial default service tariffs within 20 days of the date the tariffs are filed with the Commission. The exceptions shall be limited to whether the DSP properly implemented the procurement plan approved by the Commission and accurately calculated the rates. The Commission will resolve filed exceptions by order. The Commission may allow the default rates to become effective pending the resolution of those exceptions.(f) A DSP may not submit tariff supplements more frequently than on a quarterly basis, consistent with § 54.187(h) and (i) (relating to default service rate design and recovery of reasonable costs), to revise default service rates to ensure the recovery of costs reasonably incurred in acquiring electricity at the least cost to customers over time. The DSP shall provide written notice to the named parties identified in § 54.185(b) of the proposed rates at the time of the tariff filings. The tariff supplements shall be posted to the DSP's web site at the time they are filed with the Commission. A customer or the parties identified in § 54.185(b) may file exceptions to the default service tariffs within 20 days of the date the tariffs are filed with the Commission. The exceptions shall be limited to whether the DSP has properly implemented the procurement plan approved by the Commission and accurately calculated the rates. The DSP shall post the revised PTC for each customer class within 1 business day of its effective date to its web site to enable customers to make an informed decision about electric generation supply options.(g) If a customer chooses an alternative supplier and subsequently desires to return to the local distribution company for generation service, the local distribution company shall treat that customer exactly as it would any new applicant for energy service.(h) A DSP may, in its sole discretion, offer large customers with a peak demand of 15 megawatts or greater at one meter location in its service territory any negotiated rate for service at all of the customers' locations within the service territory for any duration agreed upon by the DSP and the customer. (1) Contract rates shall be subject to Commission review to ensure all costs are borne by the parties to the contract and no one else.(2) If no costs related to the rates are borne by other customers, the Commission will approve the contract within 90 days of its filing at the Commission. If the Commission does not approve the contract within the 90-day period, it shall be deemed approved.(i) The DSP shall offer residential and small business customers a generation supply service rate that may not change more frequently than on a quarterly basis. Default service rates shall be reviewed by the Commission to ensure that the costs of providing service to each customer class are not subsidized by any other class.The provisions of this §54.188 amended August 10, 2012, effective 8/11/2012, 42 Pa.B. 5185.