Section 4901:1-10-29 - Coordination with competitive retail electric service (CRES) providers(A) Each electric utility shall coordinate with CRES providers to promote nondiscriminatory access to electric services, to ensure timely enrollment with CRES providers to maintain a customer's electric service, and to timely and correctly switch the customer's electric service between CRES providers.(B) Each electric utility shall adopt a supplier tariff containing standardized requirements to the extent such standardization is feasible. At a minimum, such tariff shall include requirements for imbalances, load profiles, scheduling, billing (between the electric utility and CRES provider), customer billing (options, collection, and application of customer payments), metering, retail settlements, scheduling coordinators, losses, customer information (procedures for disclosing load profile, account information, and payment history), dispute resolution processes (between the electric utility and CRES provider), standard operating rules, performance incentives and standards, creditworthiness and default security, supplier agreement, electronic data interchange protocols, CRES provider enrollment with the electric utility, service termination and disconnection (of end-user customer), certified CRES provider lists, return to standard offer, customer enrollment and switching, supplier training, and supplier proof of certification.(C) An electric utility shall execute with each CRES provider a supplier agreement to operate under the terms of the supplier tariff. (D) The electric utility and CRES provider shall execute a standardized trading partner agreement, as required by the standard electronic transmission protocols.(E) Pre-enrollment. Electric utilities shall make eligible-customer lists available to certified CRES providers in spreadsheet, word processing, or an electronic non-image-based format, with formula intact, compatible with personal computers. Such lists shall be updated quarterly and comply with division (G) of section 4928.10 of the Revised Code. (F) Customer enrollment. (1) Within two business days after confirming the validated electronic data file for a CRES provider's customer enrollment request, the electric utility shall mail or email with an electronic notification of receipt, the customer a competitively neutral confirmation notice stating:(a) That the electric utility has received a request to enroll the customer for competitive electric service with the named CRES provider.(b) The date such service is expected to begin.(c) That customers have seven days from the postmark date on the notice to contact the electric utility to rescind the enrollment request or notify the electric utility that the change of service provider was not requested by the customer.(d) The electric utility's toll-free telephone number.(2) Such notice shall not be used as an opportunity for the electric utility to convince customers to remain on or return to the electric utility's standard offer service.(3) Each electric utility shall have a twenty-four hour per day capability for accepting CRES customer enrollment rescission by telephone.(4) When a customer calls the electric utility to rescind enrollment with a CRES provider, the electric utility shall provide the customer a unique cancellation number.(5) Within two business days after receiving a customer's request to rescind enrollment with a CRES provider, the electric utility shall initiate such rescission and mail or email with an electronic notification of receipt, the customer confirmation that such action has been taken.(G) Customer billing.(1) Electric utilities shall make consolidated billing available to CRES providers and shall not take any actions to inhibit or prohibit dual billing by CRES providers.(2) Consolidated billing shall include budget billing of utility and CRES charges as a customer-elected option.(H) Customers returning to standard offer.(1) Any customer returning to the standard offer due to a CRES provider's default, abandonment, slamming, certification rescission of a CRES provider, or the end of their contract term with a CRES provider, will not be liable for any costs or penalties associated with the customer's return to the standard offer.(2) Within two business days after confirming the validated electronic data file for a CRES provider's customer-drop request, the electric utility shall mail or email with an electronic notification of receipt, the customer a notice stating:(a) That the electric utility has received a request to drop the customer from competitive electric service with the named CRES provider.(b) The deadline date for the electric utility to receive a CRES provider's request to enroll the customer.(c) That the electric utility is available to address any questions the customer may have.(d) The electric utility's local and toll-free telephone number.(I) Percentage of income payment plan (PIPP) customers will be coordinated exclusively by the Ohio development services agency pursuant to section 4928.54 of the Revised Code. (1) Electric utilities shall not switch PIPP and graduate PIPP program customers to CRES providers.(2) Customers pending enrollment with a CRES provider who subsequently become approved for PIPP or the electric utility's arrearage crediting program shall not be switched to the CRES provider.(3) Electric utility customers who have switched to a CRES provider and subsequently become approved for the electric utility's graduate PIPP program shall be transferred to the electric utility's standard offer service at the next regularly scheduled meter read date after the electric utility enrolls the customer in the program.(4) Customers who have switched to a CRES provider and subsequently become approved for PIPP shall be dropped by the electric utility to standard offer service at the next regularly scheduled meter read date after the electric utility receives notice of the customer's participation in PIPP. The electric utility shall notify the affected CRES provider within ten business days of the customer's transfer to a new electric service provider to participate in PIPP. Any switching fees shall be added to the customer's arrearages, not current charges.(5) When the host electric utility is not purchasing the receivables of the affected CRES provider, the electric utility shall submit to Ohio development services agency, on behalf of the affected CRES provider(s), the pre-PIPP arrearages of customers transferred to the PIPP program.(6) The host electric utility shall transfer the pre-PIPP arrearages received from the Ohio development services agency, on behalf of the affected CRES provider, to the appropriate CRES provider within ten business days after receipt from the Ohio department of development.Ohio Admin. Code 4901:1-10-29
Effective: 4/8/2024
Five Year Review (FYR) Dates: 9/30/2026
Promulgated Under: 111.15
Statutory Authority: R.C. 4928.06, 4928.11, 4928.53
Rule Amplifies: R.C. 4928.11, 4928.10, 4928.54
Prior Effective Dates: 09/18/2000, 01/01/2004, 06/29/2009, 12/20/2014, 11/01/2021