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In Light Of 30¢ SOS Rates, Attorney General Presses Regulator To Consider Default Service "Reforms", Ways To Lessen Price Spike Impacts
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The Office of the Massachusetts Attorney General has requested that the state's Department of Public Utilities consider "reforms" to the procurement of electricity supplies for basic service (default service), and to consider ways to lessen the impact of the winter basic service rates
As previously reported on EnergyChoiceMatters.com, National Grid's basic service procurement for the winter term resulted in residential and commercial fixed rates in excess of 30 cents per kWh (see details here), with the procurement results subject to DPU approval
The AG's office requested that the Department of Public Utilities use its administrative discretion to extend its review of National Grid’s request for approval of the procurement results by five additional business days to allow for public comment.
"Additionally, I request that the Department consider ways to lessen the impacts of National Grid’s November 1, 2022 rate increase. Finally, the Department should investigate the basic service procurement process in general," the AG's Office said in the letter to the DPU
"Given such a dramatic increase in electricity prices and the ensuing impacts on personal and business finances, the Department should provide customers and consumer advocates additional time for comment beyond the traditional five days. Public comments should consider the procurement in question, the resulting rates, and potential assistance for electric customers this winter, including alternative rate treatments and funding sources," the AG's Office said
"I ask the Department to consider what efforts the Company can undertake now to assist customers in making bills more affordable. Time is of the essence to find such solutions. To that end, on September 21, 2022, the AGO convened a meeting of stakeholders—including members of the Baker/Polito Administration, representatives from each of the electric distribution companies, and consumer groups—to discuss options that could help customers with their utility bills this winter. Extending the comment period in this proceeding will allow for additional ideas from the public," the AG's Office said
"As the AGO has stated previously, the Department should address both the immediate concern with customer bills this winter and the longer-term problem of flaws and outdated provisions in the state’s process for procuring basic service. To address the longer-term problem, the AGO requests that the Department either convene a stakeholder technical session to revive previous discussions in D.P.U. 15-40 or open a new investigation on the procurement of electric distribution company basic service," the AG's Office said
"This investigation should explore potential reforms to basic service, including but not limited to changes to the layering and laddering of rates that Massachusetts favors (procuring fifty percent every six months) and the timing of procurements for each electric distribution company (staggered over three months or simultaneous), as the AGO suggested previously," the AG's Office said
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September 22, 2022
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Copyright 2010-21 EnergyChoiceMatters.com
Reporting by Paul Ring • ring@energychoicematters.com
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