Public Utility Commission of Texas
Case 52200-1
PETITION OF THE COALITION OF COMPETITIVE RETAIL ELECTRIC PROVIDERS FOR RULEMAKING AND REQUEST FOR EMERGENCY RELIEF
… I. BACKGROUND AND NECESSITY FOR ACTION On February 21, 2021, the Commission convened an emergency Open Meeting and issued an order directing action and granting exceptions to certain rules, including PUC Rule 25.483(c), which relates to disconnection of a customer for nonpayment.3 The February 21 Order explicitly prohibited retail electric providers (“REPs”) from sending a request to disconnect a customer for nonpayment to transmission and distribution utilities (“TDUs”) and also explicitly prohibited TDUs from processing such requests.4 Prior disconnection moratoriums have lasted a few days, but this disconnection moratorium has continued throughout the spring and now into the summer with no guidance or direction from the Commission as to when normal rules will resume. The Commission cited the Governor’s February 12,2021 disaster declaration as part ofthe basis for issuing its order in February.5 The Commission also relied upon the authority found in …