Ohio Administrative Code (Last Updated: January 12, 2021) |
4901:1 Utilities |
Chapter4901:1-24. Certification of CRES Providers |
4901:1-24-13. Certification suspension, rescission, or conditional rescission
-
(A) After notice and the opportunity for a hearing, the commission may, upon its own motion or upon complaint, suspend, rescind, or conditionally rescind a competitive retail electric service (CRES) provider's certificate, in whole or in part, for good cause shown.
(B) If the commission suspends a CRES provider's certificate:
(1) The commission will notify the CRES provider of the reasons and effective dates for such suspension and specify the actions, including associated time frames, that the CRES provider must take in order to have the suspension lifted.
(2) The CRES provider shall continue to provide all services it is obligated to provide under contract to its existing customers but it shall not advertise, offer, or contract to provide any new CRES to existing customers nor advertise, offer, or contract to provide any CRES to potential customers during the suspension, unless the commission orders otherwise. Such suspensions and related prohibitions against advertising, offering, or entering into contracts apply statewide unless otherwise ordered by the commission.
(C) If the commission conditionally rescinds a CRES provider's certificate:
The commission will delineate the specific conditions that the CRES provider must meet and establish a date by which the conditions must be met in order for the CRES provider to avoid permanent rescission of its certificate. Unless otherwise ordered by the commission, the CRES provider shall continue to provide all services it is obligated to provide under contract to its existing customers, but it shall not advertise, offer, or contract to provide any new CRES to existing customers nor advertise, offer, or contract to provide any CRES to potential customers during the pendency of the conditional rescission.
(D) If the commission rescinds a CRES provider's certificate:
(1) The commission will notify the CRES provider of the reasons for and effective date of such rescission.
(2) Upon the effective date specified by the commission, a CRES provider whose certificate has been rescinded shall cease providing all CRES for which it is no longer certified to provide.
(3) Prior to the effective date of the certificate rescission, a CRES provider that provides retail electric generation service to customers shall cooperate fully with each electric utility in whose certified territory it provides such service to ensure that its customers will be served by another CRES provider or by the electric utility on and after the effective date of the certificate rescission.
(4) Prior to the effective date of the certificate rescission, a CRES provider whose certificate has been rescinded shall provide a written notice to each of its customers that indicates that the CRES provider's certificate has been rescinded and specifies the date(s) it will cease to provide service. Such notice shall be provided to the commission staff for its review and to the electric utility prior to customer dissemination. Such notice shall also inform customers that, if they do not choose an alternative provider, they will be served by their electric utility and shall provide instructions on how they can obtain service from an alternative CRES provider.
(E) Reasons that the commission may suspend, rescind, or conditionally rescind a CRES provider's certificate include, but are not limited to:
(1) A CRES provider's failure to timely pay any assessment made pursuant to section 4905.10, 4911.18, or division (F) of section 4928.06 of the Revised Code.
(2) A CRES provider's failure to timely file an annual report of its intrastate gross receipts and sales of kilowatt-hours of electricity pursuant to section 4905.10, 4911.18, or division (F) of section 4928.06 of the Revised Code as directed by commission rule or order.
(3) A finding by the commission that a CRES provider has materially underreported its intrastate gross receipts and/or sales of kilowatt-hours on reports required by rule 4901:1-24-07 of the Administrative Code.
(4) A finding by the commission that any information reported to the commission subsequent to granting a certificate adversely affects a CRES provider's fitness or capability to provide any service covered by its certificate.
(5) A finding by the commission that a CRES provider deliberately omitted information or knowingly provided false information on a certification or certification renewal application, including supporting attachments.
(6) A finding by the commission that a CRES provider has provided CRES to a customer without being certified by the commission to provide such service.
(7) A finding by the commission that a CRES provider has violated any applicable commission rule or order adopted pursuant to Chapter 4928. of the Revised Code.
(8) A finding by the commission that a CRES provider has failed to consent to the jurisdiction of the courts of this state or has failed to designate an agent to accept service of process pursuant to section 4928.09 of the Revised Code.
(9) A finding by the commission that a CRES provider has engaged in an anticompetitive act.
(10) A finding that a CRES provider has failed to maintain appropriate default security or has otherwise failed in a material way to adhere to requirements contained in an electric utility's tariff governing supplier requirements approved by the commission.
(11) A finding by the commission that a CRES provider has failed to comply with state laws or rules designed to protect consumers in this state or has otherwise engaged in any fraudulent, misleading, or unfair practice.