PUC Holds En Banc Hearing July 12 On Supplier Consolidated Billing By Electric Suppliers

The Public Utility Commission Tuesday issued a Secretarial Letter announcing a second en banc hearing on July 12 to hear testimony and gather additional information on customer billing practices by competitive electric generation suppliers, specifically on the legality, merits and potential implementation of supplier consolidated billing.

Under SCB, customers would receive a single, consolidated bill from their chosen EGS that would include both their electric distribution company’s distribution charges and their EGS’s generation and transmission charges.

The July 12th hearing date is in addition to an initial en banc hearing on SCB scheduled for June 14.  

The Commission’s decision to add the second hearing comes in response to extensive stakeholder comments submitted, and based upon the number of parties expressing an interest in testifying.

The PUC’s Office of Administrative Law Judge will facilitate the June 14th and July 12th hearings, which will both be held in Hearing Room 1 of the Commonwealth Keystone Building, 400 North St., Harrisburg, PA.  Both hearings will begin at 1 p.m.

The hearings are open to the public, and the Commission will be video streaming the hearings on the PUC’s website for those unable to attend the hearings in person.

The purpose of these hearings is to permit participants to inform the Commission on the following issues:

-- Whether SCB is legal under the Public Utility Code and Commission regulations;

-- Whether SCB is appropriate and in the public interest as a matter of policy;

-- What are the possible benefits to consumers of SCB; and

-- Potential alternatives to SCB.

On Jan. 18, 2018, the Commission approved a joint motion by Chairman Gladys M. Brown and Commissioner Norman J. Kennard to further explore the legality, merits and potential implementation of SCB, as well as the appropriateness of possible alternatives to SCB.  

Under SCB, customers would receive a single, consolidated bill from their chosen EGS that would include both their electric distribution company’s (EDC) distribution charges and their EGS’s generation and transmission charges.

Documents related to this action can be found at PUC Docket No.: M-2018-2645254.