Harrisburg, Pennsylvania — The Retail Energy Supply Association (RESA), a leading trade association of retail energy suppliers committed to creating vibrant and sustainable competitive electricity markets, today filed comments with the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) in Case No. 12-150-EL-COI. In their filing they urge the Commission to use this proceeding to delve deeper into the retail market structure in Ohio.
“By initiating this proceeding, the Commission has appropriately acknowledged that time-of-use and other dynamic pricing options can provide customers with more than just access to innovative products, but also provides them with new opportunities to obtain information about how and when they use electricity and the ultimate impact of their consumption behaviors relative to their electric bills and the environment,” said David Fein, President of RESA. “In our filing, RESA asks the Commission to take additional steps to more fully implement the policy directives under SB3 and SB221 in order to meet the objectives of a well-functioning competitive market for the benefit of Ohio consumers.”
RESA specifically states that the Commission should seek comments as to whether there are barriers in the current Ohio market structure that are hampering the development of a truly robust competitive market. RESA suggests a thorough review of: customer education efforts; current SSO Structure; proper unbundling and cost allocation; legacy rate design issues; the provision of data and information to CRES providers; billing options; customer referral programs and the creation of an Office of Retail Market Development; website enhancements; and the ability of the PUCO Staff to facilitate supplier support with the electric distribution utilities.
“We believe competitive retail electric service (CRES) providers are well positioned to develop unique products that better meet individual consumer needs and therefore encourage the Commission to use this docket as an opportunity to explore how the markets can be improved for all customer classes in Ohio,” said Fein.
In the filing, RESA suggests that the PUCO access and analyze the retail market in Ohio using customer switching statistics and number of competitive suppliers and offers available in the market, among other things, to ensure Ohio continues to move in the direction the legislative branch envisioned when they passed SB3 and SB221.
###
About RESA
RESA represents competitive energy suppliers dedicated to creating and sustaining vibrantly competitive electricity and natural gas markets for the benefit of consumers. RESA’s members include: Champion Energy Services, LLC; ConEdison Solutions; Constellation NewEnergy, Inc.; Direct Energy Services, LLC; Energetix, Inc.; Energy Plus Holdings LLC; Exelon Energy Company; GDF SUEZ Energy Resources NA, Inc.; Green Mountain Energy Company; Hess Corporation; Integrys Energy Services, Inc.; Just Energy; Liberty Power; MC Squared Energy Services, LLC; Mint Energy, LLC; NextEra Energy Services; Noble Americas Energy Solutions LLC; PPL EnergyPlus, LLC; Reliant; Stream Energy; TransCanada Power Marketing Ltd. and TriEagle Energy, L.P.. For more information about RESA please contact Tracy McCormick, Executive Director at (717) 566-5405.
