PUCO orders electric utilities to serve Entrust customers, expands scope of FirstEnergy audit
COLUMBUS, OHIO (March 10, 2021) – The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) today ordered Ohio’s regulated electric distribution utilities to provide electric supply service to customers of Entrust Energy, Inc. Entrust recently informed Ohio’s utilities that it is unable to continue to meet its financial obligations to supply its customers with electricity.
This means customers of Entrust will be released from their contracts and will automatically be served by their local electric distribution utility. No customer will experience a service outage due to this change.
Ohio law requires electric and natural gas distribution utilities to serve as a “provider of last resort” if a competitive supplier is no longer able to provide service for any reason.
Current Entrust customers will receive a letter from their electric distribution utility informing them their service has been returned to the utility’s “standard service offer”. Impacted customers will not need to do anything in response to the change, however, may decide to enroll with a new supplier.
Customers who are interested in choosing an energy choice supplier can compare rate offers by visiting the PUCO’s Energy Choice Ohio website.
Entrust Energy served approximately 3,500 retail electricity customers across Ohio.
Ohioans with concerns or questions regarding their utility service may contact the PUCO by calling (800) 686-PUCO (7826) or by writing the PUCO online.
Delivery Capital Recovery Rider audit
In separate business, the Commission ordered an ongoing third-party audit of FirstEnergy utilities’ Delivery Capital Recovery rider to be expanded to investigate whether payments recently disclosed by FirstEnergy Corporation were improperly included in rates charged to customers.
In today’s entry, the Commission directed its third-party auditor to examine if any funds collected from customers were used to pay for any of the items described in FirstEnergy’s Securities and Exchange Commission filing.
In a recent 10-K filing FirstEnergy Corporation submitted to the SEC it identified “certain transactions ... that were either improperly classified, misallocated ... or lacked supporting documentation”.
The Commission opened this proceeding on Nov. 4, 2020 to conduct the annual audit of Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company, Ohio Edison, and Toledo Edison’s Delivery Capital Recover (DCR) rider. The DCR allows the utilities to recover its costs related to annual distribution system and infrastructure investments.
This is the fourth proceeding related to recent allegations surrounding FirstEnergy Corp. Separate proceedings regarding political and charitable spending, corporate separation, and an audit of FirstEnergy’s distribution modernization rider remain ongoing.
Copies of today’s entries and orders are available on the PUCO website by clicking on the link to Docketing Information System (DIS) and searching for cases 12-2854-EL-CRS and 20-1629-EL-UNC.
The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) is the sole agency charged with regulating public utility service. The role of the PUCO is to assure all residential, business and industrial consumers have access to adequate, safe and reliable utility services at fair prices while facilitating an environment that provides competitive choices. Consumers with utility-related questions or concerns can call the PUCO Call Center at (800) 686-PUCO (7826) and speak with a representative.
For additional information, contact: Matt Schilling | (614) 466-7750
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