Regulators are clearing the path this month for electric utilities to redesign ratepayer bills so consumers can more easily tell what they are paying for the power supply and can compare that to other available rates, particularly to competitive electric suppliers.
The redesign is in response to a Connecticut law passed last year regulating the competitive supply industry. The law came after costumers of competitive suppliers — whose generation rates are set by the supplier instead of using the standard service utility rate — saw significant jumps in the amounts they were paying for their electricity, particularly those on variable-rate contracts.
The Public Utilities Regulatory Authority issued a draft decision last week calling on utilities Connecticut Light & Power and United Illuminating to redesign the first page of electric bills to list the ratepayer’s generation service rate from a supplier, the expiration date of that rate, any change in that rate for the next billing cycle, any cancellation fee, notification of if that rate is variable, and the amount the ratepayer would have paid under the default standard service utility rate.
PURA’s final decision is expected Jan. 21. The bill redesign would start no later than July 1.
PURA also says competitive suppliers can no longer change variable rates daily or weekly. They can change only monthly, and the new rate must be disclosed to ratepayers before it is implemented.
The generation rate is only one part of ratepayers’ bills, which also include charges for transmission, distribution, conservation, and taxes. Regardless of whether a consumer uses a competitive supplier for the generation rate, the bill still will come from their electric utility using the supplier’s generation rate.
