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Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2015 - 2016
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | February 23, 2016 10:00 AM |
|---|---|
| From: | Senator Lisa M. Boscola |
| To: | All Senate members |
| Subject: | Notification Requirements for Electric Generation and Natural Gas Suppliers |
| In the near future, I intend to introduce legislation that would codify some existing regulations of the Public Utility Commission (PUC) that relate to electric generation suppliers (EGS’s) and natural gas suppliers (NGS’s). Pricing issues from last winter, as well as those during the polar vortex that occurred in 2014, exposed certain deficiencies concerning consumer notification and ability to switch providers. Some of these deficiencies resulted in significant costs to consumers. The PUC took steps to improve notification requirements and switching times through its rulemaking process in an effort to combat the situation. I believe these consumer protection improvements should be codified so that they hold the power of law and cannot be changed by future Commissions. My proposed amendments to the Public Utility Code will apply to both natural gas suppliers and electric generation suppliers. They include the following: -Customers who want to switch suppliers must be switched within 3 days, not at the end of the billing cycle; -Suppliers will be responsible for notifying customers of a change in terms of the contract 20 days prior to the change going into effect; -Suppliers will be required to send additional notices informing customers up front, in a consumer-friendly notice, the terms and conditions of their contract; -Lastly, suppliers will be required to send additional notices informing consumers of the upcoming expiration of their contract and the options a consumer has about choices in the marketplace. Codifying these provisions will bring transparency to contracts and allow consumers to better take advantage of the electric and natural gas marketplace. |