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Ohio Administrative Code (Last Updated: January 12, 2021) |
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4901:1 Utilities |
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Chapter4901:1-35. Electric Distribution Utility (EDU) |
4901:1-35-11. Competitive bidding process ongoing review and reporting requirements
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(A) Once a competitive bidding process (CBP) plan subject to a price blending periodis approved by the commission ,the electric utility shall file its proposed adjustments to the standard service offer (SSO) portion of the blended rates of its CBP in a filing to the commission on aquarterly basis (quarterly filing) for the duration of the price blending period of the CBP plan, on specific dates to be determined by the commission.
(1) The quarterly filing shall include a separate listing of each cost or cost component including costs for fuel, purchased power, alternative port folio requirements, and environmental compliance, in comparison with the costs or cost components included in the most recent SSO and the previously existing level of each cost. Any offsetting benefits, as defined in division (D) of section 4928.142 of the Revised Code, obtained directly or as a result of expenditures in the specified cost areas shall be listed separately and be used to reduce the cost levels requested for recovery. Rates are to be adjusted on a quarterly basis. Such adjustments may include, or be made pursuant to, the application of incentive factors or formulas that the commission determined to be reasonable in its approval of the CBP plan. The cost information shall consist of monthly data submitted on a quarterly basis.
(2) The quarterly filing shall include any descriptions, formulas, and/or tables necessary to show how the adjusted cost levels are translated into blended CBP rates.
(3) The electric utility shall provide projections, in its quarterly filing, of any impacts that the proposed adjustments will have on its return on common equity.
(4) The staff shall review the quarterly filing for completeness, computational accuracy, and consistency with prior commission determinations regarding the adjustments. If the staff raises no issues prior to the date the quarterly adjustment is to become effective, the rates shall become effective on that date.
(5) On an annual basis, or other basis as determined by the commission, the prudence of the costs incurred and recovered through quarterly adjustments to the electric utility's SSO portion of the blended rates shall be reviewed. The commission shall determine the frequency of the review and shall establish as chedule for the review process. The commission may order that consultants be hired, with the cost to be billed to the company, to conduct prudence and/or financial reviews of the costs incurred and recovered through the quarterly adjustments. The cost to the electric utility of the commission's use of such consultants may be included by the electric utility in its quarterly rate adjustment filing.
(B) If the CBP plan is approved by the commission subject to a price blending period, approximately one year after filing the CBP plan, and annually thereafter for the duration of the price blending period of the CBP plan, on dates to be determined by the commission, the electric utility shall file an annual report on its CBP.
(1) The annual report shall provide a general statement about the operation of the CBP to date. The annual status report shall also provide a summary of generation service obtained via the CBP during the period under review, andimpacts of the cost of the CBP service and the resulting blended rates on the electric utility's customers.
(2) The annual report shall describe any defaults and/or other difficulties encountered in obtaining generation service from winning bidder(s) of the CBP, and describe in detail actions taken by the electric utility to remedy such situations.
(3) The annual report shall describe the condition and significant developments of the wholesale electric generation and transmission market during the year covered by the report, and any developments in those markets anticipated and/or known for the following year.
(4) The annual report shall describe the financial condition of the electric utility, its current and projected return on common equity, and the return on common equity of publicly traded companies that face comparable business and financial risk. The electric utility shall show that its earnings under the price blending period will not be significantly excessive as compared with similarly situated companies. Information submitted by the electric utility to demonstrate its projected earnings shall include, but not be limited to, balancesheet information, income statement information, and capital budgetrequirements for future investments in Ohio. This information should be provided separately for generation, transmission, and distribution for the electric utility and its affiliates. Additionally, the electric utility shall provide testimony and analysis demonstrating the return on equity earned by publicly traded companies that face comparable business and financial risks as the electric utility.
(5) If in an emergency situation the electric utility claims that its financial integrity is threatened by the operation of the CBP price blending period, it shall demonstrate its claim through information and data filed in its annual report. The electric utility has the burden of proof in any such claim of thre atened financial integrity.
(6) The electric utility shall discuss, in its annual report, upcoming solicitations to be conducted pursuant to its approved CBP plan. Any deviations or modifications of the approved CBP plan being requested by the electric utility shall be described in detail, with specific rationale provided for every such deviation or modification requested.
(7) The annual report shall describe the blended phase-in rates projected to be charged to its customers under the continuation of the CBP plan, as modified pursuant to paragraph (C)(6) of this rule. The rate projections shall show the existing and projected generation service price(s) blended with the CBP determined rates and projected CBP determined rates, and any descriptions, formulas, and/or tables necessary to show how the blending is accomplished. The projected blended phase-in rates shall be compared in the annual report to the existing blended phase-in rates.
(8) The annual report shall describe the operation to date of alternative retail rate options implemented under the CBP, the approaches used to communicate price and usage information to consumers, and observed price elasticity.
(9) The annual report shall include a status report of the market conditions relevant to the continued operation of the electric utility's MRO, including but not limited to information about the existence of published source(s) of electric market pricing information, whether the electric utility or its affiliate still belongs to an regional transmission organization (RTO), and whether the RTO's market monitoring function has mitigation authority over the transactions resulting from the CBP.
(10) The commission, legal director, deputy legal director, or attorney examiner shall determine the level of review required for any information, plans, or requests set forth in the annual report, and set any necessary schedules through an entry.
(C) If the CBP plan is approved by the commission without the requirement of a price blending period, or after the expiration of any such required price blending period, on an annual basis, on dates to be determined by the commission, the electric utility shall file an annual report with the commission.
(1) The annual report shall provide a general statement about the operation of the CBP to date. The annual report shall also provide a summary of generation service obtained via the CBP during the period under review, and impacts of the cost of the CBP on the electric utility's customers' rates.
(2) The annual report shall describe any defaults or other difficulties encountered in obtaining generation service from winning bidder(s) of the CBP, and describe in detail actions taken by the electric utility to remedy such situations.
(3) The annual report shall describe the condition and significant developments of the wholesale electric generation and transmission market during the year covered by the report, and any developments in those markets anticipated or known for the following year.
(4) The electric utility shall discuss, in its annual report, upcoming solicitations to be conducted pursuant to its approved CBP plan. Any deviations or modifications of the approved CBP plan being requested by the electric utility shall be described in detail, with specific rationale provided for every such deviation or modification requested.
(5) The annual report shall describe the operation to date of alternative retail rate options implemented under the CBP, the approaches used to communicate price and usage information to consumers, and observed price elasticity.
(6) The commission, legal director, deputy legal director, or attorney examiner shall determine the level of review required for any information, plans, or requests set forth in the annual report, and set any necessary schedules through an entry.