DTE will convene a technical session on uplift costs in the Southeast Massachusetts (SEMA) load zone. The session will take place September 22, 2006, at 2PM at DTE's offices. Topics for discussion will include background on costs incurred to date, options to mitigate SEMA uplift costs, ISO-NE cost allocation and the effect on retail competitive markets and customers, and treatment of uplift costs in basic/default service. The full text of the Technical Session Notice and Preliminary Agenda is available on the NEM Website.

The Commission will convene a hearing on Basic Generation Service (BGS) for the period beginning June 1, 2007. The "legislative-type" hearing will take place on September 21, 2006, at 10AM, in the Board's 8th floor hearing room. The purpose of the hearing is to receive comments on the current proposals from those involved with the BGS process. Commissioner Fiordaliso will conduct the hearing.

Interested parties will be alloted time to present comments, followed by clarifying questions from the Commissioner. Those wishing to participate should e-mail Frank Perrotti at frank.perrotti@bpu.state.nj.us by September 19, 2006. Final comments in the proceeding are due September 22, 2006.

Bidder information sessions for the Basic Generation Service auction process will be held on September 29, 2006, in Philadelphia, PA at the Sofitel Philadelphia and on October 6, 2006, in Washington, DC at the Sofitel Lafayette Square. Bidder information packs will be provided, including overviews of the FP and CIEP auctions, application process and credit requirements, changes from prior auctions, provisional Auction Rules and Supplier Master Agreements. Register at http://www.bgs-auction.com/bgs.bidinfo.ip.rsvp.asp.

Phase III EDI testing is conducted between a competitive supplier and a utility to ensure the competitive supplier can send and receive EDI transactions, in compliance with NY standards, and consistent with the supplier's business model. Staff proposed a number of changes to EDI Phase III testing to expedite this process. The Commission reviewed Staff's proposals and found: 1) Utilities must begin testing within 45 calendar days (in place of the current 60 days) of receipt of an ESCO test request; 2) Prior to the test start date, an ESCO may be required to submit an accurate connectivity profile, designation of specific personnel to conduct testing and posting of a deposit. However, all other UBP and utility-specific requirements to provide service in a particular service territory may not be required as prerequisite to EDI testing; 3) Utilities may perform testing on an individualized basis in addition to batch testing; 4) Staff is empowered to direct resolutions of testing complaints; and 5) Staff and the utilities shall meet within thirty days after the order is issued to discuss improvements to utility submission of Phase III testing reports. The full text of the Order is available on the NEM Website.

The Commission issued an Order adopting revisions to natural gas supplier rules. Significantly, the Commission decided that the requirement that, "customers switching from regulated sales service to a choice supplier shall incur the GCR adjustments for a period of 12 months and that customers returning to regulated sales service under certain circumstances shall be exempt from the GCR adjustments, should be eliminated." The Commission concluded that, "elimination of the GCR adjustments in the price to compare calculation is the single biggest improvement we can make to the choice program at this time." While declining to adopt a proposal to use unique customer identifiers, the Commission did agree the stakeholders should discuss a uniform methodology to request and release eligible customer information in a future workshop. The Commission found that current record retention periods should be retained (two-year general requirement, one-year requirement after contract termination for audio recordings, and two-year period after contract termination for written contracts). The full texts of the Order and Revised Rules are available on the NEM Website.