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Texas PUC Commissioners Don't Embrace Automatic Enrollment Of Customers Onto TDU Outage Alerts Using REP-Provided Contact Info, Though Chair Has "Some Concern" If Alert Participation Remains Low
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During a discussion at today's Texas PUC open meeting, a majority of Commissioners did not embrace requiring retail electric providers to provide customer contact info to the TDUs for the TDUs to automatically enroll customers onto the TDUs' outage alert services, based on the REP-provided customer contact information
As previously reported, Texas PUC Staff have proposed to withdraw a current draft rule that would require REPs to provide customer contact information to TDUs, and which would require the TDUs to automatically enroll customers onto the TDUs' outage alert service using such info (Project 56898
See more details and the drivers of Staff's recommendation in our prior story here
The PUC did not vote or take other formal action on the proposed rule at today's meeting, but a majority of Commissioners expressed doubts about an opt-out enrollment process for the outage alerts
However, during the meeting, PUC Chair Thomas Gleeson did also express "some concern" if the TDU alert enrollment process is not automatic, given that the legislature has indicated a desire for the number of customers receiving outage alerts from the TDUs to significantly increase. Gleeson noted that, as of June, CenterPoint Energy Houston Electric had said that it had contact info for only about 42% of its customers
Gleeson suggested that, if the continued use of a voluntary process for customers to sign up for TDU outage alerts (with voluntary enrollments potentially spurred by promotion from REPs) doesn't meet the level of participation desired, the PUC could revisit the question
Gleeson further said that if the Commission does wish to further consider automatic enrollment, he would like to discuss the issue further with stakeholders and legislative leaders
Commissioner Courtney Hjaltman observed that, from a general perspective, the legislature has previously favored opt-in processes, rather than opt-out programs
Commissioner Kathleen Jackson expressed concern about the efficacy of any outage alert service which relies on automatic enrollment based on customer contact info provided by REPs. The alerts may not go to the right person at a premise if such REP info, which is collected for different purposes (enrollment, billing, etc.) is used to populate the alert service, rather than relying on voluntary sign-ups
Jackson also stressed the importance of the TDUs having reliable and robust outage trackers on the TDUs' websites, which is a proposed requirement in another rulemaking project (56897). Jackson said that these online trackers, which are to allow a customer to input their address to receive specific information, would allow a REP, or another party (a relative, etc.), to assist customers in determining the customer's outage status and related info, for those customers without access to power or who are less comfortable using online tools
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October 24, 2024
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Copyright 2024 EnergyChoiceMatters.com
Reporting by Paul Ring • ring@energychoicematters.com
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