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PUC Order Maintains Status Quo Of Utility’s Default Service Reconciliations
The New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has issued an order maintaining the status quo for electricity default service reconciliations at Unitil.
Excerpts from the order:
“This order maintains the status quo for the Unitil Energy Systems, Inc. (Unitil or the Company) Default Service reconciliations. Through the process of discovery and testimony, the Commission was satisfied that there were no special circumstances that required an adjustment to the reconciliation process due to the particular circumstances presented in this docket.”
“Having reviewed the Unitil proposal, and the other record evidence presented in this docket, we find that the prudent approach at the present time would be to maintain the status quo for Default-Service reconciliation treatments for Unitil, including those related to RPS. Therefore, we hereby DENY the Unitil proposal considered here without prejudice and ORDER the Company to transfer the currently-deferred Small\Medium and Large (G1) Customer Group Default Service reconciliation balances to the Company’s general Default Service Reconciliation accounting, to be assessed in the upcoming (June 6) Default Service review filing to be made in Docket No. DE 25-032.
In doing so, we acknowledge that in the future, exploring changes in the frequency of Default Service reconciliations for Unitil may be warranted, as are other reforms related to carrying charges and other issues. For the upcoming Default Service year, however, especially in light of the integration of increased market-based procurements through ISO-New England purchases, and the upcoming results thereof, the Commission intends to maintain the contours of the Default Service program in a steady state. We do request that the Company keep the Commission informed, through public filings to be made in the DE 25-032 docket, regarding the progress of its internal accounting investigations in the Default Service field.”
“Based upon the foregoing, it is hereby ORDERED, that the Unitil proposal for transfer of its reconciliation balances associated with its provision of Default Service, including RPS-related costs, to the Stranded Cost Charge component of distribution rates is hereby DENIED without prejudice; and it is
FURTHER ORDERED, that Unitil shall TRANSFER its outstanding, deferred Default Service reconciliation balances to its general Default Service Reconciliation accounting, for inclusion in its June 2025 Docket No. DE 25-032 review petition, and that the Unitil Default Service program parameters as currently constituted shall CONTINUE, unless further modified by the Commission after notice and hearing.”
Petition for Approval of Default Service Reconciliation Proposal and Testimony of Linda S. McNamara (05/16/2025)
Below Testimony Attachments (05/16/2025)
Testimony of Clifton C. Below (05/16/2025)
Golding Testimony Attachment (05/16/2025)
Golding Testimony Attachment – Excel model (05/16/2025)
Colonial Power Group Position Statement (05/16/2025)
OCA Position Statement (05/16/2025)
NRG Retail Companies Position Statement (05/16/2025)
Retail Energy Supply Association and NRG Retail Companies Joint Comments (05/16/2025)
(Unitil – 2024 Default Service Solicitations)
