News Stories
Sponsored by Earth Etch. Regulatory insight and compliance solutions for today’s energy markets.
Bill Would Cap Supplier Rates, Eliminate Solicitation Referrals and Further Restrict Auto Renewals
Bill Also Includes More Supplier Reporting Requirements
On March 27th HB4313 and House Public Utilities Committee amendment was re-referred to House Rules Committee.
Among other things, this bill would cap supplier rates, eliminate solicitation incentives, and further restrict auto-renewals in Illinois.
As introduced this bill would also amend the rules and obligations for alternative retail electric suppliers (ARES) and alternative gas suppliers (AGS). It would require ARES to include the number of residential customers enrolled in each rate and AGS to include the number of customers enrolled in each rate in the information they submit annually to ICC and the Office of the Attorney General.
The bill would prohibit the following for both ARES and AGS:
- any incentive-based compensation, including commissions, for any in-person or telemarketing solicitations;
- charging residential or small commercial customers a rate more than 25% higher than the current electric supply price or gas supply rate; and
- automatic contract renewal at an increased rate unless: (i) the supplier complies with all current auto-renewal requirements; and (ii) the customer explicitly consents to the renewal in writing or by electronic signature during the period of 30-60 days prior to contract expiration;
The bill would also amend 220 ILCS 5/16-118, which governs services provided by electric utilities to ARES, to restrict a number of services currently provided to “utilities other than the electric utility in whose service area retail customers are located” to such utilities that are “providing supply service through an electric aggregation program”
