The Maryland billing and metering working group held a meeting in February to discuss Phase I issues, including agency billing, bill disputes, supplier consolidated billing, interval usage data, rate class and load profile changes, and the 35 day "rule". Phase II issues also were discussed, including metering data, re-bill/delayed bill/no bill issues, accounts receivables/utility consolidated bills, budget billing, and performance levels. The working group is expected to develop proposals and draft a report.

The Maryland business policy working group also met in February. One of the issues discussed was providing a customer list to suppliers.

Some of the "hot" issues involve whether suppliers should pay for customer lists and what billing improvements are necessary for suppliers (one budget bill, on-line web access to bills, etc.).

As of March 1, 2005, Standard Offer customers must be transitioned to Default Service.

Western Massachusetts Electric (WMECo) has proposed a default service adjustment for its street lights, interruptible and self-generation customers. The adjustment would be the difference between the default service price and the currently-effective 5.607 cent/kWh standard offer price. WMECo also proposes to allow suppliers to serve self-generation customers.

Massachusetts Electric and Nantucket Electric also have filed proposed transition charges and a default service adjustment factor.

The Commission's orders requesting comments on MECo's proposal and on WMECo's proposal are available on NEM's website. Comments are due February 14.

The Commission has issued proposed revisions to its regulations governing conservation service cost recovery, electric restructuring, telephone consumer protections, natural gas unbundling, billing and termination procedures, and pole attachments. The Commission states that the revisions are technical corrections, typographical corrections, and replacements of outdated information. NEM has not yet reviewed the proposed revisions to determine if the revisions are merely of a house-keeping nature.

Comments on the proposed revisions are due March 18, with a hearing scheduled for March 22. The proposals are available on the Commission's website.

In February, the Commission made a presentation to the Senate Technology and Energy Committee on the status of electric competition in Michigan. The last of the statutory rate caps expire on December 31, 2005. By March 23, 2005, DTE is required to file a rate unbundling proposal based on fully allocated embedded costs and an application to resolve rate subsidies between bundled and unbundled customers. A similar filing also is expected from Consumers.

In other DTE matters, a report on electric choice metering issues and resolutions by a collaborative including DTE, interested parties and Staff must be filed by March 15, 2005.
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DTE is required to implement a renewable energy program for all customers. An application and proposed tariffs must be filed by July 1, 2005. 1% of residentail sales should be from renewable resources by the end of 2006, with 2-3% by tthe end of 2008.

The Commission also approved a new renewable resource program for Consumers, with rewable resource tariffs due by March 31, 2005. Consumers must issue a RFP by March 31, 2005 for renewable resources supply. The first renewable resources must be in commercial operation by the end of 2005.

With collaborative meetings held in February, Niagara Mohawk (NiMo) and interested parties attempt to move closer to a settlement in NiMo's competitive opportunities proceeding. Issues being discussed include billing (purchase of accounts receivable); supplier choice programs (Power Switch for residential and small commercial customers); rates; aggregation (S-3 aggregation program and opt-in aggregation); and customer education.

NiMo also is expected to issue an RFP for aggregation service for its SC-3 customers.

Settlement discussions regarding National Fuel Gas' rate case will continue on February 14 (service quality conference call), February 15, and February 18.

The Commission approved a modified settlement on Dayton Power and Light's (DP&L) charges for consolidated billing. The settlement allows DP&L to charge suppliers 20 cents/bill to provide consolidated billing, with an intial $5,000 set-up fee for DP&L to program the supplier's rates into DP&L's system.

The Commission approved FirstEnergy's POLR proposal for returning commercial and industrial customers as a contingency plan, subject to the Midwest ISO Day 2 Market program not being in place. For residential returning customers the price is the Standard Service Offer plus 5%.

Returning customers are defined as customers who return within the term of a contract, thus returning customers do not include customers who return to FirstEnergy following expiration of a contract.

FirstEnergy may recover certain costs incurred as a result of providing POLR service, but not recovered through the tariff; however, such recovery must be approved by the Commission.

The Commission stated that the POLR price for returning customers is crucial for marketers and aggregators to offer competitive products and for the appropriate risks to be imposed on shopping customers.

In response to the various complaints, including a complaint filed by NEM, the Commission suspended Columbia Gas' proposed price protection and optional sales services until August 4, 2005. Columbia's proposed sales service would offer a fixed price on the natural gas commodity. The proceeding was sent to the Administrative Law Judges for a hearing or resolution through the alternative dispute resolution process.

In response to a request by the utilities, the Commission suspended the competitive metering working group. The Commission reminded utilities that they are required to cooperate with any parties who wish to bring competitive metering to Pennsylvania. Also, the working group may be reactivated upon request.

In its 10 year electricity plan for Vermont, the Commission included retail electric choice as one of the potential ways to address "tough choices" regarding supply. The report noted that Vermont should re-examine the benefits and costs of retail choice in the future.