CER Update Industry Governance Group 21 st September 2011
Mar 18, 2016
CER Update
Industry Governance Group
21st September 2011
Publications
Customer Protection Consultation DecisionPrepayment Metering in the Electricity and Gas Markets (CER/166)
Electricity and Natural Gas Supplier Handbook (CER/11/168)
Demand Side Consultation DecisionProposed Changes to the Winter Peak Demand Reduction Scheme and Powersave Scheme 2011/12 (CER/11/165)
Market Information – Regular Reports ww.cer.ie – elec retail - reports & publicationsChange of Supplier weekly update
Electricity and Gas Customer Disconnections Report July – August 2011
Work streams
Working GroupsPrepayment Meter Project Supplier Group
Forthcoming consultationsMarket Monitoring
Licence Review
Smart metering TimelinesGas trial & Cost Benefit Assessment (CBA) September
Consultation on Smart Metering national rollout design & implementation
October
Decision on Smart Metering national rollout design & implementation
November/December
Debt Flagging for Electricity & Gas Customers – Industry Code
Industry Code - Drafting
• Drafting – Input from– Electricity & Gas Market Participants– Office of the Data Protection Commission (ODPC)
• August GMARG/IGG – High Level Aspects• Draft Code – pre Commission approval
circulated to Industry & ODPC• Commission approval – Re-circulated• Main points presented today
1. Grounds to Raise a Flag (I)• As per decision;
• From when amount fell due, not bill issued, this typically 14 days from bill issued.
Customer Category Customer Category Debt Value & Duration Threshold
Domestic > €250 for > 60 days from due
Small Business Elec (LV-NonMD/DG5)Gas (NDM <73MWh)
> €750 for > 60 days from due - TBC
Medium Business Elec (LVMD/DG6)Gas (NDM >73MWh)
> €1,500 for > 60 days from due - TBC
• Outstanding deposits excluded• Cannot raise a Flag where customer pursuing
complaint re monies owed • Must adhere to Industry thresholds & timings• Must issue a flag where relevant criterion per
customer category has been satisfied.
1. Grounds to Raise a Flag (II)
• Change of Legal Entity (All Customers)– Cannot flag new tenant CoS where debt accumulated
by previous tenant– Elec: CoLE signalled on 110 message
• Losing supplier cannot raise flag • Inferred CoLE – flag not forwarded to new supplier
– Gas: CoLE not signalled → • Options Discussed at August GMARG• ODPC Advice• New supplier ascertain whether new tenant & not yet
signed up – if site flagged – flag ignored.
1. Grounds to Raise a Flag (III)
2. Timings
• Old supplier to raise flag:– Elec: Lists submitted to MRSO by COB on
Mondays & Wednesday– Gas: Within 2 business days
• New supplier to decide action– Elec: Within 2 business days– Gas: Within 3 business days
3. Customer Communication (I)
• Communication Re Flagging Process– ODPC Advice: Domestic Sign Up Process– Customer must be made of aware of debt
flagging at sign up– Notice must be included on domestic customer
application forms – online, paper, phone– Terms & Conditions only not sufficient – Tick Box – read & understood notice– Standard wording, otherwise ODPC sign off
3. Customer Communication (II)
• Communication Re CoS Cancellation• Within 5 business days;• Gaining supplier issue notification in writing:
– CoS request cancelled & why– Advise customer contact current supplier– contact details for MABS or an appropriate
alternative, in the case of domestic customers -TBC.
4. Dual Fuel
• Dual Fuel – Losing Supplier– Can only flag account which meets the industry debt
flagging criterion• Dual Fuel – Gaining Supplier
– Where 1 account is flagged and not the other:– Supplier can only proceed with CoS for non-flagged
account only if obtained customer agreement to switch for one fuel and not dual fuel
– If no agreement obtained, proceed or cancel CoS requests for both accounts
6. Reporting
• CER monitoring debt flagging process• On monthly basis, receive from DSOs
– # CoS requests flagged by losing supplier– # CoS cancellations following flag– Elec Market Only –
• # CoS requests with CoLE• # Debt flags not forwarded to gaining supplier by
MRSO due to inferred CoLE
• CER conduct spot checks from time to time
PPM in Electricity & Gas Markets
Consultation - Background
• Current Economic Climate– CER/10/217 Disconnection CoP Guidelines– Keep disconnection to a minimum: Customer must
be offered a PPM before a Supplier can request a disconnection
– CER/11/106 Debt Flagging Decision– Losing Supplier can flag to gaining supplier where
customer debt above industry thresholds• Suppliers concern over compatibility of
CER/10/217 & CER/11/106
Consultation - Options
• PPM Customer Repaying Debt – 2 Options:• Option A – Status Quo
– Customer ceases paying debt when changes supplier - supplier pursues customer for outstanding debt separately
• Option B – Debt Travels– Customer must continue to pay off outstanding
arrears after they switch supplier
Consultation – Next Steps
• Responses due 15th September• Decision Paper issued asap.