PRINTER'S NO. 719
No. 663 Session of 1999
INTRODUCED BY SCHWARTZ, COSTA, MUSTO AND BODACK, MARCH 24, 1999
REFERRED TO CONSUMER PROTECTION AND PROFESSIONAL LICENSURE,
MARCH 24, 1999
AN ACT
1 Amending Title 66 (Public Utilities) of the Pennsylvania
2 Consolidated Statutes, further providing for definitions; and
3 providing for duties for electric generation suppliers
4 serving default customers.
5 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
6 hereby enacts as follows:
7 Section 1. The definition of "renewable resource" in section
8 2803 of Title 66 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes is
9 amended and the section is amended by adding a definition to
10 read:
11 § 2803. Definitions.
12 The following words and phrases when used in this chapter
13 shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
14 context clearly indicates otherwise:
15 * * *
16 "Default customers." Those purchasers of electricity who
17 have not affirmatively chosen the generation supplier which is
18 supplying their electricity.
19 * * *
1 ["Renewable resource." Includes technologies such as solar
2 photovoltaic energy, solar thermal energy, wind power, low-head
3 hydropower, geothermal energy, landfill and mine-based methane
4 gas, energy from waste and sustainable biomass energy.]
5 "Renewable energy." Electricity from any of the following
6 resources: biomass, including landfill gas, agricultural and
7 other waste fuels, geothermal, small hydroelectric no greater
8 than 30 megawatts, solar, wind and ocean-based facilities.
9 * * *
10 Section 2. Title 66 is amended by adding a section to read:
11 § 2813. Duties for electric generation suppliers serving
12 default customers.
13 (a) General rule.--No electric generation supplier shall be
14 eligible to serve any default customers unless it agrees to:
15 (1) Disclose to each prospective customer and monthly to
16 customers for each electricity product sold generation price
17 information, including monthly consumption and average price
18 provided in a cents-per-kilowatt-hour format for each billing
19 cycle.
20 (2) Disclose to each prospective customer and every six
21 months to customers for each electricity product sold the
22 following:
23 (i) The resource mix and percentage of power
24 generated from each source.
25 (ii) The emissions characteristics per kilowatt hour
26 and the percentage of emissions of each pollutant in
27 comparison with the reference level.
28 (iii) Whether each resource is a renewable resource.
29 (3) Offer a resource mix for each of its electric
30 products which includes at least 1% renewable resources
19990S0663B0719 - 2 -
1 immediately, 5% renewable resources after five years of
2 serving default customers and 10% renewable resources after
3 ten years of serving default customers.
4 (4) Comply with applicable Commonwealth environmental
5 laws and regulations.
6 (b) Format.--The commission shall develop a uniform format
7 for disclosure of information required under subsection (a)
8 which will enable consumers to easily compare prices, services
9 and the environmental characteristics of electric products. The
10 commission shall impose penalties for disclosure of fraudulent
11 or deceptive information which may include suspension or
12 discontinuance of eligibility to service default providers.
13 Commission penalties shall not limit penalties under other laws.
14 (c) Power of commission.--The commission shall have the
15 authority to immediately suspend or discontinue the eligibility
16 of any generation supplier to service default customers where
17 the generation supplier fails to meet the requirements of this
18 section.
19 Section 3. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
B25L66DMS/19990S0663B0719 - 3 -