TIMELINE

“Choice” started with pilot programs – 5% of customers gained access to shop for their electricity supply.

Phased competition begins: 2/3 of customer load granted the ability to shop.

All PA customers are able to choose their electricity supplier—retail rates are frozen at 1996 levels and rate caps are established for each utility.

Electric utilities established as “default service providers” to provide default supply service to customers who do not select a competitive supplier.

PUC adopted a final policy statement and final rules establishing Default Service.

Act 129 enacted – mandated certain provisions of default service, including how electricity supply is procured, required the regulated utilities to offer energy efficiency and time of use rates to consumers, and required the deployment of smart meters and advanced meter infrastructure by the utilities.

PPL’s rate caps were the first to expire. Ahead of that, PUC directed PPL to reduce barriers to competition by: providing an eligible customer list; implementing EDI (electronic data interchange) transactions; establishing a certification process for retail suppliers to facilitate customer switches; requiring both bill ready and rate ready options for suppliers; implementing POR (purchase of receivables) by Jan 2010; informing customers about the opportunity to choose another supplier; establishing a stakeholder group to develop uniform supplier tariff language; appointing an ombudsman; and providing mechanisms for complaints and informal dispute resolution.

PUC issued a Smart Meter Procurement and Installation Order.

PPL Rate Caps Expire; PPL customer education campaign aimed at educating and encouraging customers to shop.

Rate Caps Expire for all other utilities – influx of competitive suppliers and customers begin to shop.

Initial spike in shopping as customers gained access to competitive supply options in 2000, due to the rate caps in effect through 2010, very few customers switched to competitive suppliers.

Less than 20% of residential customers were shopping, while almost 80% of commercial and industrial customers were shopping.

Eligible Customer Lists – Become available to licensed suppliers. Include customer information (name, address, account number, historical usage, etc.) to facilitate marketing to consumers who did not opt out of inclusion on the list.

Smart Meter Data Access – PUC issued an order providing customers and their designated third-party representatives with direct electronic access to the customer’s electric usage, with the customer’s consent.

Retail Market Investigation – PUC issues orders requiring changes to improve the competitiveness of the retail market – especially for residential customers.

Accelerated Switching implemented – customer switches processed within 3 business days.

Interval Meter Data Access – Utilities make interval usage data available through their supplier portals to all licensed suppliers.

Seamless Moves/Instant Connects implemented – customers can choose a supplier on day 1 of service and can keep their supplier if they move within a utility service territory.

Switching: as of June 2020, 30% of all residential customers are served by retail suppliers, while 70% are served by monopoly utilities. In contrast, 75% of commercial customer load and 96% of industrial customer load is served by retail suppliers.