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PURA Files Request For Written Comments And Notice Of Technical Meeting In Energy Affordability Annual Review
From Request For Comments:
[ *** ] To facilitate the evaluation of the Companies’ energy affordability offerings, development of customer communications materials, and potential modifications to any company collections practices, the Authority requests that Participants file written comments on or before Wednesday, August 21, 2024, by 4:00 P.M., addressing the following:
1. Refer to the below prompt and provide any recommendations or comments thereto. If an alternative is suggested, provide specific and detailed implementation guidelines for the respondent’s proposal.
The Authority envisions an Affordability Customer Communications Working Group (Affordability Communications Working Group) co-chaired by identified representatives of the Companies. The Affordability Communications Working Group would develop a charter, to be housed alongside of other materials in a specified PURA docket, and observe the following general guidelines:
a. Logistics and Materials.
i. Meet quarterly, with dates published by the Companies as a correspondence to the PURA docket at least four weeks in advance;
ii. Agendas and materials to be reviewed at the meeting should be posted by the Companies as correspondence to the PURA docket at least two weeks in advance;
iii. To the best extent possible, arrange meeting materials by subject matter and provide time stamps on the agenda, or otherwise facilitate participation in a subset of the meeting;
iv. Within one week following the meeting, the Companies should post high-level meeting minutes as correspondence to the PURA docket; and
v. Meetings shall be held in person, to the extent practicable, at an accessible location that should rotate quarterly (e.g., New Britain hearing room).
b. Voice of the Customer
i. Each company shall maintain an up-to-date explanation of its Voice of the Customer protocols as a correspondence posted to the PURA docket, including information regarding how customer feedback is accounted for in the development and refinement of any customer communication materials. Any material changes should be submitted as an update within 10 business days; otherwise, the Company should affirm via correspondence once per year (by January 15) that the protocols remain effective; and
ii. Any data gathered from the Voice of the Customer initiative in support of proposed communications materials should be made transparent and available to Affordability Communications Working Group participants, in an anonymized format at the Affordability Communications Working Group meeting, or in raw data form pending execution of an appropriate protective order.
c. Approval and Use of Materials.
i. For the first six months (i.e., two quarterly meetings) after the launch of the Affordability Customer Communications Working Group, the Companies shall summarize any areas of dispute regarding proposed communications materials, and provide recommendations thereto, as a motion for review and approval filed in the PURA docket. Affordability Customer Working Group participants will have seven calendar days to comment on the motion prior to the Authority issuing a final ruling;
ii. Following the first six months (i.e., starting with the third quarterly meeting) of the Affordability Customer Working Group, the Companies will transition into the role of final decision-makers regarding any disputed communications materials; and
iii. Final versions of all company-specific, affordability-related customer communications should be posted as compliance to the PURA docket for ease of reference within seven calendar days of finalizing. With the exception of any company-specific branding and other related information, the final materials should be standardized across each company.
2. Provide comments on the Wage Garnishment Working Group Report and the recommendations made regarding the Companies’ collections practices. Describe why, or why not, such recommendations should be implemented.
3. Refer to Slide 10 of the Companies’ Joint Presentation dated July 11, 2024, in the instant proceeding. Provide comments on the Companies’ arrears mitigation proposals. If alternative proposals exist regarding the collections practices for residential financial hardship customers, residential non-hardship customers, or non-residential customers, provide specific recommendations by customer type.
4. Refer to PRO Sprint Track 3 Report– Medical Hardship, dated July 10, 2020, in Docket No. 17-12-03RE01, PURA Investigation into Distribution System Planning of the Electric Distribution Companies – Energy Affordability (PRO Track 3 Report). Discuss whether there are recommendations in the PRO Track 3 Report that have not been implemented to-date that the respondent supports implementation or further consideration of with respect to medically protected customers.
From Technical Meeting Notice:
[ *** ] A technical meeting of the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (Authority) staff and docket Participants will be held on Thursday, August 15, 2024, beginning at 1:00 P.M, via remote access. The purpose of the meeting will be to discuss the Wage Garnishment Working Group Report.
As such, the Authority directs OCC to provide a presentation summarizing the Wage Garnishment Working Group Report and the recommendations provided. OCC must provide a list of presenters and an estimated time to present to the case coordinator, Robin Ussawin Bumpen at ussawin.bumpen@ct.gov, by 4:00 P.M. on Thursday, August 8, 2024. The Authority will then issue a meeting agenda, which will allow time for Authority staff, Participants, and interested stakeholders to ask questions of each presenter. OCC must file their presentation through the Authority’s web filing system and provide a copy to the case coordinator by 4:00 P.M. on Tuesday, August 13, 2024. The Technical Meeting will take place through remote access. Access instructions are set forth below.
Remote attendee access: Participants and members of the public may register through the web link below to listen or to participate in the meeting:
August 15, 2024, at 1:00 p.m. https://ctdeep.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcodOGopzsqGdfhGBVuURhP3PXf0YnNLD03
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. [ *** ]
Notice of Technical Meeting (08/01/2024)
Request For Comments (07/31/2024)
24-05-01 (10/13/2023)
(Annual Review Of Affordability Programs And Offerings (Energy Affordability Annual Review))
