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PSC Denies Retail Supplier Coalition’s Motion to Stay the Joint Utilities’ Implementation of Utility Consolidate Billing Without POR for Residential Customers
On April 28, 2026 the Maryl Public Service Commission (PSC) issued an order regarding cessation of residential purchase of receivables.
The Maryland Public Service Commission (PSC) denies the retail energy suppliers request to direct the utilities to continue negotiations on a form of utility consolidated billing without POR for residential customers.
“For the reasons discussed in this Order, the Commission approves the Joint Utilities’ plan, subject to the exceptions set forth below, and denies the Supplier Coalition’s Motion to Stay.”
As background, on October 9, 2025 the Joint Utilities filed a plan for ending Utility Consolidated Billing (“UCB”) services to third-party suppliers for residential accounts, and ending the gradual phase-out set forth by the Commission Order No. 91463. On November 14, 2025, the Supplier Coalition filed a Renewed Motion to Stay enforcement of Order No. 91463.
Subsequentially on December 12, 2025, “the Supplier Coalition filed Comments regarding the Joint Utilities’ plan to end all UCB by December 31, 2025 without a transition plan to a non-POR UCB billing option for customers. The Supplier Coalition again requested that the Commission take steps to preserve any further opportunities for residential choice and savings by directing a seamless transition to non-POR residential UCB.”
Excerpts from the Order:
“Regarding the Joint Utilities’ plan for POR rejections, bill reinstatements and notices to suppliers, the Commission agrees with the Joint Utilities’ plan as it relates to these issues and as set forth in their filing.”
“Regarding authorization for the utilities to manually drop customers if suppliers fail to do so, the Commission instructs utilities to begin the process of manually dropping residential customers that have remained on POR, in violation of the January 1, 2026 deadline. The Commission affirms Staff’s reminder and further reminds utilities and suppliers of Order No. 91463, which notes that “whether a customer should be classified as residential or non-residential is determined by each utility’s Commission-approved tariff. The manner in which the property is used dictates whether a customer is classified as residential or non-residential, and the customer does not have the authority to dictate their classification.”17 The Commission temporarily waives any utility tariff provisions that might prohibit manual drops by utilities. Additionally, to facilitate a seamless transition from retail supply to default service, utilities shall notify remaining POR customers subject to manual drops that their rates will change to the prospective default rate. Utilities shall provide these notices to customers in a cost-effective manner.”
“Additionally, the Commission does not require the interim report recommended by Staff. However, by May 4, 2026, each utility is directed to submit a Final Report that lists: the total number of suppliers in its service territory that failed to drop customers by the January 1, 2026 deadline, either due to the supplier’s failure to proactively drop them or due to the supplier’s failure to respond to a customer’s request to be dropped; the total number of residential customers in its service territory, by supplier, that remain on POR as of April 1, 2026; the total number of residential customers in its service territory, by supplier, that were not dropped by the January 1, 2026 deadline, either due to the supplier’s failure to proactively drop them or due to the supplier’s failure to respond to a customer’s request to be dropped; and the total number of residential customers in its service territory, by supplier, that the utility has manually dropped. All supplier-specific information shall remain confidential and the total number of suppliers that failed to drop customers should be filed publicly. Finally, the Commission directs that Staff submit a report within six months of this Order, summarizing the utilities’ Final Report, including Staff’s recommendations as to any Commission authority that needs to be granted after POR ends. Staff’s summary and recommendations shall be public.”
“Regarding the requested authorization of Pepco and Delmarva to apply the current discount rate to bill adjustments rather than the rate in effect when the original bill was issued, the Commission grants the recommended authorization to avoid the unnecessary cost of implementing software identical to the other utilities. Regarding the request by Pepco and Delmarva for authorization to discontinue accepting supplier charges for bill adjustments after December 31, 2026, the Commission directs that Pepco and Delmarva submit a filing within 30 days of this Order that justifies why the utilities should discontinue accepting these charges at the date certain. The Commission will decide on this matter after it reviews the filings.”
Excerpts from Commission’s order related to Retail Supplier Coalition’s Motion to Stay:
“The parties attempted to negotiate a non-POR UCB alternative for several months and, as all parties acknowledge, these negotiations were ineffective. Although it is true that the suppliers were in a difficult bargaining position, the record provides no reason for the Commission to believe that further negotiations would lead to a consensus in the short term. As Staff noted, the end of UCB does not prohibit any continuing negotiations regarding non-POR UCB from continuing. The Commission agrees with Staff’s assessment but will not direct that the parties negotiate further at this time. Therefore, the Commission denies the Supplier Coalition’s motion to stay the Joint Utilities’ implementation of the plan described above.”
