Rhode Island Code of Regulations
Title 815 - Division of Public Utilities and Carriers
Chapter 30 - Electric Utilities
Subchapter 05 - Non-regulated Power Producers
Part 2 - Nonregulated Power Producer Consumer Bill of Rights (815-RICR-30-05-2)
Section 815-RICR-30-05-2.4 - Consumer Information Requirements

Universal Citation: 815 RI Code of Rules 30 05 2.4

Current through September 18, 2024

A. All nonregulated power producers and electric distribution companies shall adopt a standard billing format for residential customers to better enable such residential customers to compare pricing policies and charges of nonregulated power producers to the standard offer service rate approved by the Commission for the customer's electric distribution company. The standard billing format shall include all of the information set out §§ 2.4(B)(1) and/or (2) of this Part, below, as appropriate, in the order specified below.

B. The standard billing format adopted herein requires that all electrical distribution companies and nonregulated power producers include the following information upon the bill or statements they provide to their customers in the order specified below:

1. Charges for electricity supplied/used. Every company who shall charge for the use of electricity furnished to any house, building, tenement or estate shall conspicuously display upon the bill or statement for such electricity charges for any customer, all of the information required by R.I. Gen. Laws § 39-3-37.2, in the order specified therein.

2. Charges for distribution of electricity. Every electric distribution company which shall charge for the distribution of electricity to any house, building, tenement or estate shall conspicuously display upon the bill or statement for such electric distribution charges for any customer, all of the information required by R.I. Gen. Laws § 39-3-37.3, in the order specified therein.

3. Standard offer service price. In addition to the data set out above, the bill or statement must provide customers with basic information regarding the standard-offer service price for comparison purposes.
a. Electric distribution company requirements. The electric distribution company shall provide a single standard offer service price for comparison purposes that sets out the total commodity charges which all of its supply/commodity customers would be expected to pay currently. The standard offer service price, expressed as a cost per kilowatt hour consumed, will be the sum of the base rate, capacity cost adjustment fuel adjustment cost conservation charges (including but not limited to any renewable energy charges, and all other costs, charges or fees, relating directly to the cost of procuring the commodity. The bill or statement shall list all of the component costs of the standard offer service price. The electric distribution company bill or statement shall also specify the date of the next expected standard offer service price rate change, the projected new standard offer service price following that rate change, and the date by which a customer's nonregulated power producer must initiate the transfer of service in order for the transfer to be complete by the next meter read date.

b. Nonregulated power producer requirements. The nonregulated power producer shall provide a single service price calculated in a manner similar to that required above for the electric distribution company that provides the customer with a single supply/commodity cost for the customer to compare directly with the single standard offer service price provided by the electric distribution company.

c. Standard-offer service price to compare. Each bill provided to the customer, whether by a distribution company or by a nonregulated power producer, shall include the distribution company's standard-offer service price for providing electricity to compare with the date of the next expected standard-offer rate change and the date by which a customer's nonregulated power producer must initiate the transfer of service in order for the transfer to be complete by the next meter read date.

d. Variable or time-of-use standard-offer service rate. Standard-offer service rates shall not be variable or time-of-use rates.

4. Customer right to request separate bills from nonregulated power producers. The electric distribution company shall issue a single bill for electric service to all customers in its service territory. However, customers of nonregulated power producers may request the nonregulated power producers to provide separate bills for electricity supply.

C. Periodic review of billing format. The Division shall open a docket on or before September 1, 2021, to review the efficacy of the standard billing format approved by this Part to ensure that it continues to meet the requirements of this Part with respect to providing useful billing information to customers. Thereafter, the Division shall conduct periodic reviews of the billing format at least every five (5) years. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the Division from conducting periodic reviews of the billing format at more frequent intervals should the Division, in its sole discretion, determine that more frequent review would be beneficial to the consumer.

D. Internet website for comparing nonregulated power producer pricing policies and charges. The Division maintains an internet website for comparing nonregulated power producer pricing policies and charges at http://www.ri.gov/empowerri. Consumers and nonregulated power producers are encouraged to consult this web site frequently. There are no assessments for nonregulated power producers wishing to have their products listed on this site. Nonregulated power producers interested in having their products listed on this site may obtain more information by contacting the Division's Chief of Information at (401) 780-2105.

E. Biannual review of internet website comparing nonregulated power producer pricing policies and charges. On or before July 1, 2019, and every two (2) years thereafter, the Division shall review the internet website discussed above and make any improvements needed to ensure that the website remains a useful tool for customers to compare pricing policies and charges among nonregulated power producers.

F. Participating nonregulated power producer obligation to provide the Division with updates for the internet website. Participating nonregulated power producers shall provide the Division information regarding any changes to the nonregulated power producers' pricing policies and charges with respect to the terms of existing products, or termination fees for existing products, that would impact any existing customer of the nonregulated power producer consistent with the requirements of § 2.4(B) of this Part, above, to facilitate customer efforts to compare those changes with the standard-offer price. The nonregulated power producers shall provide this information to the Division for inclusion in the Division's web site in a manner consistent with the requirements of Part 00-00-3 of this Title, "Digital Filings and Website Information Pursuant to R.I. Gen. Laws § 39-1-18."

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