The electric utilities submitted compliance filings related to the competitive electric supply Rulemaking 17. In particular, the filings set forth utility plans to implement POR, cost recovery and implementation timelines.

BGE proposes to provide electric suppliers using its consolidated bill the same electronic access to customer bill information that it provides to the customer on August 1, 2009, and BGE will purchase electric supplier receivables on consolidated bills effective with April 2010 billings. BGE will only purchase receivables for charges for electric supply and will not purchase receivables incurred prior to April 2010. BGE notes that it will concurrently be modifying its systems to purchase gas supplier receivables under consolidated billing and to provide gas suppliers with electronic access to customer bill information. BGE proposes to implement a new tariff rider - Electric Choice Charge (ECC) to recover the costs associated with programming and implementing the new regulations. The ECC will include an uncollectible expense component as well as a return component. BGE states that fashioning cost recovery in this manner will allow it to purchase receivables with no discount. The full text of BGE's Filing is available on the NEM Website.

Pepco also details its proposal to offer a purchase of receivables program for suppliers electing consolidated billing. Pepco plans to have the changes "go into production on March 31, 2010" at an estimated cost of $1.2 million. Pepco proposes to recover program costs through a surcharge applied to all distribution customers. Costs to be recovered include implementation costs, uncollectible expense related to purchase of receivables, uncollectible expense related to Standard Offer Service, and cash working capital related to the purchase of receivables. Pepco will only purchase receivables for electricity charges stemming from the supplier's provision of competitive power supply.

Delmarva also proposes to offer a purchase of receivables program for suppliers electing consolidated billing. Delmarva plans to have the changes "go into production on December 7, 2009" at an estimated cost of $325,000. Pepco proposes to recover program costs through a surcharge applied to all distribution customers. Costs to be recovered include implementation costs, uncollectible expense related to purchase of receivables, uncollectible expense related to Standard Offer Service, and cash working capital related to the purchase of receivables. Delmarva will only purchase receivables for electricity charges stemming from the supplier's provision of competitive power supply.

Allegheny Power proposed to purchase supplier receivables, without recourse, associated with supplier sales of generation and transmission services to customers when the supplier uses consolidated billing. Allegheny Power estimates the implementation costs to be $354,450. It proposes to recover POR program costs through a Societal Benefits Charge that will appear as a line item on the customer bill. The charge would recover implementation, administrative and uncollectible costs. The full text of Allegheny Power's Filing is available on the NEM Website.

The Commission is planning a Meet and Greet for licensed and prospective electric and gas suppliers. Originally held in 2004, the 2009 version of the Meet and Greet is designed to discuss the current Maryland regulatory and operational environment for suppliers. Discussions on newly passed regulations will be held, along with panel presentations from Mass Marketers, C&I Marketers and Maryland regulated utilities. The all day event is free, and will be held on June 18, 2009, in the President Thomas V. Mike Miller, Jr. Senate Building in Annapolis, Maryland.

The MDPSC has also requested NEM's recommendations for supplier panelists for the event. Those interested in participating as a panelist should contact headquarters.

Parties interested in attending the Meet and Greet should R.S.V.P. via email to Odogwu Linton, Esq., Director, Office of External Relations and MD PSC Retail Market Development at olinton@psc.state.md.us

The Board issued an Order setting forth the preliminary Basic Generation Service (BGS) 2010 procedural schedule. The Board is seeking input on the, "type of process that should be used to procure BGS FP [fixed price] and CIEP [commercial and industrial energy pricing] requirements for the period beginning June 1, 2010, similar to the process that has been employed for the past eight years, including an invitation for all parties to propose how to procure BGS supply." The procedural schedule is as follows:

July 1, 2009 - stakeholder proposals on BGS procurement
July 24, 2009 - discovery requests due
August 7, 2009 - discovery responses due
August 28, 2009 - initial comments on proposals
September 25, 2009 - final comments
Mid-November 2009 - Board decision on BGS proposals
End of November 2009 - utility compliance filings
Mid-December 2009 - Board decision on compliance filings
February 2010 - procurement process for BGS supply requirements

Public hearings and a legislative-type hearing will also be scheduled. The full text of the Order is available on the NEM Website.

Earlier this year, A1558 was introduced to establish an energy services company consumers bill of rights. The bill passed the House in early March. This week, the bill was recalled from the Senate and returned to the Assembly and it was amended upon a third reading as A1558B. The bill would require the PSC, CPB and the department of law to develop a plain language "ESCO consumers bill of rights" that would be required to be provided to prospective customers. In addition, the bill would prohibit ESCOs from contracting for any customer prepayment of energy services. Contracts would be prohibited from including a termination fee in excess of one hundred dollars or twice the estimated bill for energy services for an average month. To charge a termination fee greater than one hundred dollars, the ESCO would have to provide the customer, at the time of contract, with an estimate of the average monthly bill they would be charged. The bill would provide a right of action to the Attorney General and customers for violations of the requirements. The full text of A1558B is available on the NEM Website.

The Commission will convene a technical conference on issues associated with the development and deployment of smart grid technologies in the State. It is intended to develop a base of knowledge related to utility smart grid investment strategies, including associated ratepayer costs and utilization of federal funding available from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Stakeholders will be asked by invitation to address current status of technology; communication networks and facilities; standards and protocols; and technology obsolescence. The conference will take place on June 11, 2009, in the 19th floor boardroom of the Commission’s Albany offices. It will also be broadcast at the Commission's New York City offices and via the Internet. The full text of the Notice of Technical Conference is available on the NEM Website.