FTC Staff Comment Before the Public Service Commission of the State of Delaware Concerning its Proposal to Revised Its Rules for Certification and Regulation of Electric Suppliers

FTC staff submitted a comment before the Public Service Commission (PSC) of the State of Delaware, in response to a request for comments on a proposal to revise its rules for certifying and regulating electricity suppliers. The staff comment noted the potential benefits of dynamic pricing, and encouraged the PSC to consider the potential costs associated with a proposal to require electricity suppliers to give customers at least five days’ advance notice of price changes. The comment identified alternatives to a five-day notice period that would provide consumers with the benefits of dynamic pricing via devices such as “smart meters” while assuring that consumers have accurate and timely electricity price information. The comment recommended that, if the PSC chooses to implement such alternatives, it could also require special prominence for disclosures pertaining to price variability and early termination charges in residential retail electricity sales contracts involving variable rates.