Md. Code Regs. 20.59.04.02

Current through Register Vol. 51, No. 12, June 14, 2024

Section 20.59.04.02 - Enrollment

A. Effective Dates.

(1) Except as provided under §A(2) of this regulation, a utility shall process an electronic transaction for enrollment from a supplier to be effective on the first day of the next month.

(2) An electronic transaction for enrollment from a supplier received by a utility less than 7 days before the first day of the next month shall take effect on the first day of the next subsequent month.

(3) Enrollments shall be processed on a first-in basis during any given month.

B. The utility shall drop a customer from its current supplier when another supplier enrolls the customer.

C. A utility shall process an electronic transaction for enrollment regardless of whether the customer is currently supplied by another supplier or by the utility.

D. A utility shall compensate a retail supplier through a cash exchange, an adjustment of gas usage, or an adjustment of delivery volumes for the portion of the first month during which gas is delivered to a customer of the retail supplier within 90 days of the first supply of gas to the customer.

E. A supplier may not require that a customer provide it with advance notice, written or otherwise, before the customer switches to another supplier or to sales service.

F. A utility shall reject a customer's enrollment into supplier-consolidated billing if, at the time of switch, the customer:

(1) Has a regulated gas utility arrearage older than 30 days;

(2) Is on a payment arrangement plan with the utility; or

(3) Has applied for or is receiving funds from the Office of Home Energy Programs, including but not limited to, payments authorized as part of the universal service program or Maryland Energy Assistance Program.

G. Beginning July 1, 2023, a utility shall reject a customer's enrollment with a supplier if, at the time of the enrollment:

(1) The customer is an energy assistance household; and

(2) The supplier does not have a Commission-approved contract for energy assistance households.

H. The supplier shall inform the customer if a customer's enrollment is rejected for the reasons specified in §F or G of this regulation.

I. Customer Who Starts to Receive Energy Assistance While on Supplier-Consolidated Billing.

(1) The utility shall provide a supplier 3 business days notice if a supplier's customer on supplier-consolidated billing receives a Maryland Energy Assistance Program or universal service program grant.

(2) The utility shall drop a customer from supplier-consolidated billing to sales service after sending the supplier notice under this regulation if the supplier continues to provide the customer supplier-consolidated billing service after 3 business days.

(3) A supplier may change a customer's billing method adhering to COMAR 20.59.05.06 within 3 business days of receipt of the utility notice provided in §H(1) of this regulation, provided that the supplier issues the notices required by COMAR 20.59.05.06B after the change in billing method.

J. For Contracts Signed on or After July 1, 2023 with a Customer Who Starts to Receive Energy Assistance While Receiving Service from a Gas Supplier.

(1) When a utility determines that a supplier's existing customer is newly identified as an energy assistance household, the utility shall within 3 business days provide the supplier notice of that determination.

(2) Upon receipt of the notice required under §J(1) of this regulation, the retail supplier shall, within 5 business days:

(a) Terminate the contract and return the customer to sales service;

(b) If provided for under the existing contract, begin providing service under a Commission-approved contract for low-income customers; or

(c) Obtain the customer's consent to receive service under a Commission-approved contract for low-income customers.

(3) The supplier shall charge the customer the supplier's current contract rate or the utility gas commodity price or net purchased gas rate, whichever is lower, for the time between the supplier's receipt of the notice in §J(1) of this regulation and the date the customer either is dropped to sales service or begins receiving service under a contract for energy assistance households.

Md. Code Regs. 20.59.04.02

Regulations .02 adopted as an emergency provision effective July 16, 2009 (36:17 Md. R. 1311); adopted permanently effective October 5, 2009 (36:20 Md. R. 1532); amended effective 43:5 Md. R. 387, eff.3/14/2016; amended effective 49:5 Md. R.367, eff. 3/7/2022; amended effective 50:13 Md. R. 513, eff. 7/10/2023