Industry groups seek consensus;
Regulators support non-industry stakeholder effort

CUBR

The history of the issue goes further back, but the issue started heating up last year.  In 1999, the Coalition for Uniform Business Rules (CUBR), representing primarily retail energy marketers, developed a set of proposed business rules.

The CUBR website contains their documents and more information on the effort.  [See www.cubr.org.]

EEI-CUBR sponsor collaborative process

CUBR and the Edison Electric Institute (EEI) agreed to meet in a series of workshops to determine whether a consensus could be reached between marketers and electric utilities. The National Energy Marketers Association and the Electric Power Supply Association are also sponsoring organizations.  Five meetings were held in late 1999 and a second series of meetings are underway. While the meetings are open and a broad spectrum of stakeholders have been invited to participate, initially marketers and utilities have participated most vigorously.

The UBP Interim Report and comments submitted to Ubpnet are available for review on the Ubpnet site. 

The EEI hosts a website and several mail lists for the EEI-CUBR consensus building effort. Information about ways to participate in this industry-led effort and information about upcoming meetings can be found on the website. [See www.ubpnet.org.] 

NARUC

Also in 1999, the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) initiated a study of uniform business practices and of the industry-led UBP processes and recommendations.  NARUC has hired the Center for the Advancement of Energy Markets (CAEM) to assist them in preparing the study.

Among the goals of the NARUC project is the providing of an opportunity for under-represented stakeholders, not actively participating in the EEI/CUBR process, to raise concerns about the process and/or the resolution of issues.  CAEM is conducting a survey of stakeholders to promote awareness of UBP issues and to collect stakeholder viewpoints.

The development of business practices is a critical part of opening up retail markets. Many of the practices govern the relationship between the supplier and the distribution company and have little consequence for consumer, efficiency, or environmental interests. Other of the practices will be more significant.  The challenge to those who are not expert in this area is to isolate those proposed practices that have an impact on their particular interests.

NARUC has identified the following types of groups that could be affected and so should be consulted in the process:

  • State commissions
  • Residential, commercial, and industrial consumers
  • Low income and elderly
  • Environmental and Energy Efficiency advocates
  • State and Federal Legislators
  • Federal agencies such as DOE, FERC, DOJ, FTC and EPA

If you would like to know more about participating in our stakeholder outreach efforts, please contact CAEM President Ken Malloy.  [See our Contact page, or use this e-mail link.]

State commission efforts

In addition to the NARUC efforts, several state utility commissions have been promoting uniform business practices within their jurisdictions, and efforts have been made to coordinate business practice efforts with neighboring states.

The New York Public Service Commission maintains a collection of uniform business practices files on its website at www.dps.state.ny.us/ubr.htm.

The Pennsylvania Public Utilities Commission lists its files related to  electronic data interchange issues, at http://puc.paonline.com/electric/data_exchange.asp.

The Public Utility Commission of Ohio maintains schedules and documents related to business practices at www.puc.state.oh.us/consumer/restructuring/industry.html. 

GISB

The Gas Industry Standards Board has been producing wholesale business standards for the natural gas industry since 1994.  Currently, GISB is facilitating an open discussion on the possible creation of standards organizations for the wholesale electric industry and the emerging retail gas and electric market.  

GISB has organized three meetings on the topic in Washington, D.C.  Documents related to these meetings can be found at www.gisb.org/doemtg.htm.  The GISB homepage is www.gisb.org.

And...

Other efforts are underway to examine uniform business practices and related issues in retail energy restructuring.  We are seeking more uniform business practice related links for our forthcoming UBP On-line Resources page.  Please e-mail recommended links to the Webmaster.

 

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