65- 407 C.M.R. ch. 322, § 3

Current through 2024-25, June 19, 2024
Section 407-322-3 - BILL ISSUANCE FOR GENERATION SERVICE, FOR TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION SERVICE, AND FOR AGGREGATOR AND BROKER SERVICE
A. Transmission and Distribution Service Billing

The transmission and distribution utility shall be responsible for calculating and issuing bills to customers for transmission and distribution services.

B. Generation Service Billing

Competitive electricity providers shall have two options for calculating and issuing generation service bills to their customers.

1. Consolidated Utility Billing

The transmission and distribution utility shall calculate and issue bills for generation service upon request of a competitive electricity provider. The transmission and distribution utility shall calculate and issue bills for generation service for all customers receiving standard offer service.

2. Provider Billing

Competitive electricity providers may calculate and issue bills for generation service for their own customers.

C. Bill Content for Generation Services

Chapter 301 and Chapter 305 of the Commission's rules govern the content of bills for standard offer service. Chapter 305 governs the content of competitive electricity provider bills and consolidated utility bills.

D. Bill Format under Consolidated Utility Billing
1. For each competitive electricity provider for which a transmission and distribution utility provides consolidated utility billing, the format of the utility-provided standard bill shall be identical, except for provider logo, price level and structure, and message area. The bill for generation service shall appear on a separate page or be otherwise clearly separated from the bill for transmission and distribution service.
2. A transmission and distribution utility may provide a nonstandard bill format at the request of a competitive electricity provider in conformance with Section 2(B).
3. The bill for generation service and for transmission and distribution service shall cover the same time period.
4. This subsection applies to standard offer providers.
E. Prior Competitive Electricity Provider Past Due Charges under Consolidated Utility Billing

Past due charges owed by a customer to a prior competitive electricity provider shall be collected by the transmission and distribution utility for one bill following issuance of the final bill for generation service. At the end of this collection period, the transmission and distribution utility shall inform a competitive electricity provider of a customer's past due charges and shall no longer be responsible for collection. This provision does not apply to past due charges associated with standard offer service.

F. Charge for Consolidated Utility Billing

A transmission and distribution utility shall charge a competitive electricity provider the utility's incremental cost of providing basic bill issuance, bill calculation, and collections pursuant to Sections (3), (4) and (6). On or before June 1, 1999, the utility shall file a proposed term and condition containing the terms and the amount of this charge. This provision applies to standard offer providers.

G. Agency Billing

At the request of a customer, the transmission and distribution utility shall send a customer's bill to the customer's competitive electricity provider, including aggregators and brokers, using the method that would be used to send the bill to the customer. This provision does not apply to residential and small non-residential customers. The competitive electricity provider shall provide to the customer all of the information provided on or enclosed with the transmission and distribution utility bill, if Commission rules require that such information be provided to customers. Except as provided in this subsection or other provisions in the Commission's rules, no entity may act as a customer's agent for purposes of receiving transmission and distribution utility bills, unless the transmission and distribution utility consents.

H. Aggregator and Broker Service Billing

At the request of an aggregator or broker, a transmission and distribution utility shall negotiate in good faith to provide bill calculation, bill issuance and collections services. The transmission and distribution utility shall charge the aggregator or broker the utility's incremental cost of providing the agreed-upon services. If the aggregator or broker and the transmission and distribution utility are unable to agree to the terms of bill calculation, bill issuance and collection services, either party may petition the Commission to establish the terms for provision of the services. The aggregator or broker and the transmission and distribution utility shall enter a contract for services provided pursuant to this paragraph and the contract shall be filed with the Commission for approval. Approval of contracts pursuant to this section is delegated to the Director of Technical Analysis.

65- 407 C.M.R. ch. 322, § 3