Press Release

PUC Provides Directions for PPL Electric’s CAP-Eligible Shopping Customers; Keeps Competitive Supplier Option Via CAP Standard Offer

Published on 2/9/2018

Filed under: Electric

HARRISBURG – The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) today provided directions to PPL Electric Utilities Corp. (PPL) and electric generation suppliers (EGSs) on managing current EGS contracts with shopping customers eligible for PPL’s Customer Assistance Program (CAP), including a return of the CAP customer to default service with an opportunity to re-enroll with a competitive EGS participating in PPL’s CAP Standard Offer Program.

The Commission voted 5-0 to adopt the Final Order, put forth by the PUC’s Office of Competitive Market Oversight to finalize operational issues concerning the implementation of PPL’s Customer Assistance Program Standard Offer Program (PPL CAP-SOP).  Today’s action closely follows the Commission’s November 2017 Tentative Order  that sought additional stakeholder comments as to the actions PPL and EGSs are to take regarding customers who are either currently participating in PPL’s CAP or enroll in the CAP in the future.

Upon publication of the Final Order in the Pennsylvania Bulletin, the PPL CAP-SOP will move forward under the following rules:

• Customers on fixed-duration contracts with EGSs will remain with that EGS until the end of the contract, and then be returned to PPL’s default service with an option to enroll in the CAP-SOP.

• Customers on month-to-month contracts with EGSs, and who subsequently become CAP eligible, must be dropped by the EGS to PPL’s default service within 120 days after the customer is enrolled in CAP.  The customer will have the option to then enroll in the CAP-SOP.

• Customers receiving supply service from an EGS through a month-to-month contract and are subsequently enrolled in PPL’s CAP either before or after June 1, 2017, and before the Final Order is published, will be dropped by the EGS to PPL’s default service within 120 days after this Final Order is published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin.  The customer will have the option to then enroll in the CAP-SOP.

The Commission issues this Final Order while awaiting a Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court decision on a Petition for Review filed by the Retail Energy Supply Association (RESA) on Feb. 27, 2017, with respect to the approval of the PPL CAP-SOP, to clarify issues related to the ongoing implementation of the program.  To date, RESA has not sought a stay of the implementation of the PPL CAP-SOP.

The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission balances the needs of consumers and utilities; ensures safe and reliable utility service at reasonable rates; protects the public interest; educates consumers to make independent and informed utility choices; furthers economic development; and fosters new technologies and competitive markets in an environmentally sound manner.

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 Docket Nos.:  P-2016-2526627

Contact:

• David Hixson
  Deputy Press Secretary
  717-772-2766
  dhixson@pa.gov