The Public Utility Commission Thursday finalized changes to regulations regarding natural gas supplier licensing requirements (Docket No. L-2011-2266832).

“These changes better reflect the statute as well as current business standards and practices. Importantly, these changes also provide better symmetry and continuity between the treatment of licensed entities on the electric side with entities subject to our NGS licensing requirements, both of which are providing the same service to the competitive market,” said Commissioner Pamela A. Witmer in a statement. “I remain steadfast in my belief that a functioning natural gas competitive retail market represents an economic opportunity and that this Commission should continue to actively explore ways to remove barriers to retail natural gas competition.”

The Commission voted 5-0 to finalize changes to the regulations, which include:

-- Eliminating the definition of a “marketing service consultant;”

-- Incorporating new entities referred to as “aggregators,” “brokers” and “non-selling marketers;” and

-- Continuing the exemption from licensing for non-traditional marketers and establishing this exemption for non-selling marketers under contract to only one NGS.

The previous Commission regulations required all NGSs to obtain a license from the PUC in order to offer service. “Marketing service consultants” and “nontraditional marketers” were exempt from these requirements. The new regulation requires entities meeting the definition of aggregator or broker to be licensed as well.

For more information, visit the PUC’s website.  Click Here to search for PUC documents by docket number.

8/19/2013