Md. Code Regs. 20.63.11.03

Current through Register Vol. 51, No. 21, October 18, 2024

Section 20.63.11.03 - Aggregation Plan Approval Process

A. Filing Schedule and Requirements.

(1) A county, when initiating a process to form a CCA, shall file with the Commission the following:

(a) A notice of intent to form a CCA;

(b) A copy of the County's Aggregation Plan;

(c) A draft local law forming the CCA;

(d) Proposed terms of service;

(e) Proposed categories of charges;

(f) Proposed categories of fees; and

(g) Proposed costs unrelated to actual cost of the electricity supply.

(2) A county may not initiate a process to form a CCA unless the county has:

(a) Met the preliminary requirements in §B of this regulation;

(b) Committed to CCA formation on or after December 31, 2023; and

(c) Received from the Commission approval of a petition to initiate a process to form a CCA.

B. Preliminary Requirements. A county may not initiate a process to form a CCA unless it has, at least 60 days prior, performed the following:

(1) Developed an Aggregation Plan consistent with Regulation .02 of this chapter;

(2) Filed with the Commission a petition for approval of the county's intention to initiate a process to form a CCA and

(3) Included in its petition proof of the following:

(a) Provision of a written notice of the Aggregation Plan to each residential and small commercial electric customer in the county using a list provided by each electric company serving the county's residents and businesses;

(b) Publication of a fair summary of the Aggregation Plan in at least one newspaper of general circulation in the county; and

(c) Publication, on the county's website, of the full text of the Aggregation Plan;

C. Aggregation Plan Discovery Requests.

(1) A county, after filing the petition with the Commission described in §B(2) of this regulation, shall make reasonable efforts to respond within 10 business days to information requests, including data requests, sent to the county regarding the County's Aggregation Plan unless the Commission imposes a different deadline.

(2) A county shall respond to requests made by the Commission's technical staff, Maryland Peoples' Counsel, electric companies serving Montgomery County customers, Apartment and Office Building Association of Metropolitan Washington, and other parties to which the Commission has granted discovery rights.

(3) Objections to discovery and discovery responses shall be made within 3 business days unless otherwise directed by the Commission.

D. Approval of an Aggregation Plan. A county may not begin providing CCA service to its residential and small commercial customers until after the following has occurred:

(1) The Commission has approved the County's Aggregation Plan.

(2) The county has enacted a local law that provides that the county shall act as a CCA.

E. Approval of Aggregation Plan Changes.

(1) A CCA may not implement material changes to the approved Aggregation Plan without Commission approval.

(2) A CCA shall notify the Commission of any non-material change to the approved Aggregation Plan every 6 months.

(3) All changes to CCA Basic and Optional Services may not be considered material changes.

Md. Code Regs. 20.63.11.03

Regulation .03 adopted effective 51:2 Md. R. 76, eff. 2/5/2024