CPV Maryland, filed a motion with the Commission requesting that it: "order one or more investor-owned utilities (“IOUs”) under the PSC’s jurisdiction to enter into 20-year long-term contract(s) . . ., for all the capacity and energy from CPV Maryland’s PSC-approved 640 megawatt (“MW”) combined-cycle natural gas-fired generating station which CPV proposes to build in Charles County, Maryland (the “St. Charles Project” or the “Project”). CPV Maryland further requests that the Commission’s order state that, should the IOUs fail to execute a St. Charles LTC within thirty (30) days of its order, the PSC itself will negotiate one or more such contracts on the IOUs’ behalf." It claims the motion is justified by calls from the legislature for more in-state generation facilities, and that such facilites can only be supported by long-term contracts. The full text of the CPV Maryland Motion is available on the NEM Website.

The Commission convened a Supplier Meet and Greet on the June 18th in Annapolis, Maryland. The speaker presentations from the meet and greet are now available. This includes panel presentations on: Retail Energy and Gas Market Review; Licensing and RPS; Competitive Supply and Consumer Protections; Utility Coordination; and the Mass Market Supplier Panel. Also available with the presentations is a survey for the attendees. The Presentations are available at this hotlink.

The Commission recently approved the expansion of ConEd's ESCO referral program to new service customers. ConEd is seeking rehearing of the Commission's order approving the program expansion related to two issues. First, the Commission required ConEd to implement a "warm transfer" of customer calls to suppliers as part of the program. ConEd cited operational concerns with this requirement and a projected impact on increased call center time to make this change. Additionally, ConEd requests the Commission reconsider its call center staffing requirements and cost recovery for additional representatives. The full text of ConEd's Petition is available on the NEM Website.

The Commission issued a quarterly report comparing market prices for electricity and utilities current capped rates. Specifically, the report details differences in capped rates in the second, third and fourth quarters of 2008 and first and second quarters of 2009 for the five utilities with rate caps. The Commission noted that prices are markedly lower than August 2008. However, "wholesale prices are subject to constant change and can be volatile. The prices may stabilize or trend upward in the future. Therefore, the Commission will continue its actions to migitate potential rate increases. For customers, energy conservation and efficiency are recommended long-term strategies that should provide benefits regardless of where market prices trend in the future." The full text of the Report is available here.