Md. Code Regs. 20.63.04.01
Transition from Standard Offer Service.
Effective Feb 5, 202451:2 Md. R. 76Public Utilities Article, §§1–101(b), (f), and (k), 7–306(f)(5) and (h), 7–306.2(d)(3), 7–507(a), 7–510(f) and 7–510.3, Annotated Code of Maryland
- A. Customer Information Update for the Opt-Out Notice. A county may request, from an electric company,data provided under COMAR 20.63.03.04C.
B. CCA Opt-Out Notice. No less than 45 days prior to the start of CCA service, a county shall mail a notice, including the following information, to all residential and small commercial customers:
- (1) Name, Commission Supplier License number, and identification of which Aggregation Suppliers are providing CCA Basic Service and, if applicable, CCA Optional Services;
- (2) Terms and conditions of service for CCA Basic Service and, if applicable, CCA Optional Services;
- (3) Rates, charges, and fees for CCA Basic Service and, if applicable, CCA Optional Services;
- (4) A comparison of the CCA Basic Service and CCA Optional Services rates with applicable SOS rates;
(5) Information on how a customer may select:
- (a) SOS service by contacting the electric company;
- (b) CCA service by responding to the notice affirmatively selecting the CCA or through a direct application process; or
- (c) Competitive retail supply by visiting the Commission’s shopping website (www.mdelectricchoice.com) and contacting a competitive supplier to enroll;
(6) Information on the total renewable component of electricity provided under:
- (a) CCA Basic Service; or
- (b) CCA Optional Supply Services, if applicable;
- (7) A comparison of the renewable content of the CCA Basic Service with that required by current State law;
(8) An explanation of the following enrollment procedures:
- (a) The means a customer may use to refuse to participate in the CCA service;
- (b) That the customer will receive CCA Basic Service if they take no action unless the customer is served by a retail supplier; and
- (c) That the CCA will not switch a customer on a retail choice contract to the CCA without the customer’s affirmative selection of the applicable CCA service;
- (9) Information on how to access a copy of the CCA’s customer information privacy policy;
- (10) Information about customer protection; and
- (11) A reference to the CCA’s website for the information in this section.
C. Notice of Opportunity to Opt-Out of CCA Service. The CCA shall provide, in the notice required in §B of this regulation, instructions on all methods by which a customer can refuse or opt out of CCA Basic Service by:
- (1) Responding to the CCA with the customer’s choice to refuse to participate;
- (2) Request of the customer to the electric company to choose to retain or select SOS; or
- (3) Contracting for retail supply from another retail electricity supplier.
D. Processing of Opt-Out Notices and Enrollments.
- (1) A county in the process of forming a CCA shall be prepared to accept and record a customer’s request to opt-out of CCA service no less than 1 day prior to sending the notice required by Public Utilities Article, §7-510.3 (d)(1)(ii), Annotated Code of Maryland.
- (2) Opt-Out Period. A county shall allow a customer at least 36 days from the date of mailing to respond to the opt-out notice described in §B of this regulation before determining the customer’s choice of the CCA.
(3) Provision of Account Numbers. An electric company shall provide, upon request of a CCA, an update of the list provided under COMAR 20.63.03.04C with the following modifications:
- (a) An electric company shall provide account numbers solely for customers who are not, as of the date and time the report is generated, enrolled with a retail supplier or have not contacted the electric company to select SOS.
- (b) An electric company shall notify the CCA of a customer’s request to retain or select SOS.
- (c) Any additional information needed by the CCA to enroll a customer to CCA supply service shall be provided by an electric company for customer accounts for which account numbers are provided according to §D(3)(a) of this regulation.
- (4) A CCA may not enroll a customer who contacts the CCA or the customer’s electric company to refuse participation in the CCA unless the customer subsequently affirmatively selects the CCA.
(5) A CCA may transmit enrollment information to an electric company according to the terms of the electric company’s tariff, subject to the following limitations:
- (a) Enrollments may not be effective prior to the date approved by the Commission in the CCA’s transition schedule.
- (b) Unless otherwise agreed to by the electric company, a CCA may not transmit to a single electric company more than 10,000 account enrollments per day.
E. Basic Service Offerings.
- (1) A CCA shall offer a single CCA Basic Service for residential customers in each applicable electric company service territory.
- (2) A CCA shall offer a single CCA Basic Service for small commercial electric customers in each applicable electric company service territory.
- F. Transaction Error Handling. The provisions of COMAR 20.53.04.03 shall apply to an Aggregation Supplier.
Authority: Public Utilities Article, §§1–101(b), (f), and (k), 7–306(f)(5) and (h), 7–306.2(d)(3), 7–507(a), 7–510(f) and 7–510.3, Annotated Code of Maryland
Effective date: February 5, 2024 (51:2 Md. R. 76)