2019 Connecticut General Statutes
Title 16 - Public Service Companies
Chapter 283 - Telephone, Gas, Power and Water Companies
Section 16-245 - Licensing of electric suppliers. Procedures. Penalties. Registration of electric aggregators. Procedures. Penalties.

(a) No person shall execute any contract relating to the sale of electric generation services to be rendered after January 1, 2000, to end use customers located in the state unless such person has been issued a license by the authority in accordance with the provisions of this section. No license shall be valid before July 1, 1999.

(b) On and after January 1, 2000, no person, no municipality and no regional water authority shall sell or attempt to sell electric generation services to end use customers located in the state using the transmission or distribution facilities of an electric distribution company unless the person has been issued a license by the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority in accordance with the provisions of this section, provided an electric distribution company is not required to be licensed pursuant to this section to provide electric generation services pursuant to section 16-244c. On and after April 30, 2002, the Materials Innovation and Recycling Authority shall not sell or attempt to sell electric generation services to end use customers located in the state using the transmission or distribution facilities of an electric distribution company unless the authority has been issued a license by the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority in accordance with the provisions of this section. Not later than January 1, 1999, the authority shall, by regulations adopted pursuant to chapter 54, develop licensing procedures. The licensing process shall begin not later than April 1, 1999.

(c) To ensure the safety and reliability of the supply of electricity in this state, the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority shall not issue a license unless the applicant can demonstrate to the satisfaction of the authority that the applicant has the technical, managerial and financial capability to provide electric generation services and provides and maintains a bond or other security in amount and form approved by the authority, to ensure its financial responsibility and its supply of electricity to end use customers in accordance with contracts, agreements or arrangements. A license shall be subject to periodic review on a schedule to be established by the authority.

(d) An application for a license shall be filed with the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority, accompanied by a fee pursuant to subsection (e) of this section. The application shall contain such information as the authority may deem relevant, including, but not limited to, the following: (1) The address of the applicant’s headquarters and the articles of incorporation, as filed with the state in which the applicant is incorporated; (2) the address of the applicant’s principal office in the state, if any, or the address of the applicant’s agent for service in the state; (3) the toll-free telephone number for customer service; (4) information about the applicant’s corporate structure, including names and financial statements, as appropriate, concerning corporate affiliates; (5) a disclosure of whether the applicant or any of the applicant’s corporate affiliates or officers have been or are currently under investigation for violation of any consumer protection law or regulation to which it is subject, either in this state or in another state; (6) a copy of its standard service contract; and (7) a scope of service plan which sets forth, among other things, a description of the geographic area the applicant plans to serve.

(e) The application fee shall include the costs to investigate and administer the licensing procedure and shall be commensurate with the level of investigation necessary, as determined by regulations adopted by the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority.

(f) Not more than thirty days after receiving an application, the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority shall notify the applicant whether the application is complete or whether the applicant must submit additional information. The authority shall grant or deny a license application not more than ninety days after receiving all information required of an applicant. The authority shall hold a public hearing on an application upon the request of any interested party.

(g) As conditions of continued licensure, in addition to the requirements of subsection (c) of this section: (1) The licensee shall comply with the National Labor Relations Act and regulations, if applicable; (2) the licensee shall comply with the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act and applicable regulations; (3) each generating facility operated by or under long-term contract to the licensee shall comply with chapter 277a, state environmental laws and regulations adopted by the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection, pursuant to section 22a-174j; (4) the licensee shall comply with the renewable portfolio standards established in or pursuant to section 16-245a; (5) the licensee shall be a member of the New England Power Pool or its successor or have a contractual relationship with one or more entities who are members of the New England Power Pool or its successor and the licensee shall comply with the rules of the regional independent system operator and standards and any other reliability guidelines of the regional independent systems operator; (6) the licensee shall agree to cooperate with the authority and other electric suppliers in the event of an emergency condition that may jeopardize the safety and reliability of electric service; (7) the licensee shall comply with the code of conduct established pursuant to section 16-244h; (8) for a license to a participating municipal electric utility, the licensee shall provide open and nondiscriminatory access to its distribution facilities to other licensed electric suppliers; (9) the licensee or the entity or entities with whom the licensee has a contractual relationship to purchase power shall be in compliance with all applicable licensing requirements of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission; (10) the licensee shall offer a time-of-use price option to customers. Such option shall include a two-part price that is designed to achieve an overall minimization of customer bills by encouraging the reduction of consumption during the most energy intense hours of the day. The licensee shall file its time-of-use rates with the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority; (11) the licensee shall acknowledge that it is subject to chapters 208, 212, 212a and 219, as applicable, and the licensee shall pay all taxes it is subject to in this state; (12) the licensee shall make available to the authority for posting on the authority’s Internet web site and shall list on the licensee’s own Internet web site, on a monthly basis, the highest and lowest electric generation service rate charged by the licensee as part of a variable rate offer in each of the preceding twelve months to any customer with a peak demand of less than fifty kilowatts, cumulated of all such customer’s meters, during a twelve-month period; and (13) any contract between a licensee and a residential customer eligible for standard service entered into on and after July 1, 2014, shall provide for the same electric generation service rate that may not be exceeded for at least the first three billing cycles of the contract, provided the licensee may decrease such rate at any time. Also as a condition of licensure, the authority shall prohibit each licensee from declining to provide service to customers for the reason that the customers are located in economically distressed areas. The authority may establish additional reasonable conditions to assure that all retail customers will continue to have access to electric generation services.

(h) The authority shall maintain regular communications with the regional independent system operator to effectuate the provisions of this section and to ensure that an adequate, safe and reliable supply of electricity is available.

(i) Each licensee shall, at such times as the authority requires but not less than annually, submit to the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority, on a form prescribed by the authority, an update of information the authority deems relevant. Each licensee shall notify the authority at least ten days before: (1) A change in corporate structure that affects the licensee; (2) a change in the scope of service, as provided in the licensee’s scope of service plan submitted to the authority as part of the application process; and (3) any other change the authority deems relevant.

(j) No license may be transferred without the prior approval of the authority. The authority may assess additional licensing fees to pay the administrative costs of reviewing a request for such transfer.

(k) Any licensee who fails to comply with a license condition or who violates any provision of this section, except for the renewable portfolio standards contained in subsection (g) of this section, shall be subject to civil penalties by the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority in accordance with section 16-41, or the suspension or revocation of such license or a prohibition on accepting new customers following a hearing that is conducted as a contested case in accordance with chapter 54. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (b) of section 16-244c regarding an alternative transitional standard offer option or an alternative standard service option, the authority shall require a payment by a licensee that fails to comply with the renewable portfolio standards in accordance with subdivision (4) of subsection (g) of this section in the amount of: (1) For calendar years up to and including calendar year 2017, five and one-half cents per kilowatt hour, and (2) for calendar years commencing on and after January 1, 2018, five and one-half cents per kilowatt hour if the licensee fails to comply with the renewable portfolio standards during the subject annual period for Class I renewable energy sources, and two and one-half cents per kilowatt hour if the licensee fails to comply with the renewable portfolio standards during the subject annual period for Class II renewable energy sources. On or before December 31, 2013, the authority shall issue a decision, following an uncontested proceeding, on whether any licensee has failed to comply with the renewable portfolio standards for calendar years up to and including 2012, for which a decision has not already been issued. On and after June 5, 2013, the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority shall annually conduct an uncontested proceeding in order to determine whether any licensee has failed to comply with the renewable portfolio standards during the preceding year. Not later than December 31, 2014, and annually thereafter, the authority shall, following such proceeding, issue a decision as to whether the licensee has failed to comply with the renewable portfolio standards during the preceding year. The authority shall allocate such payment to the Clean Energy Fund for the development of Class I renewable energy sources, provided, on and after June 5, 2013, any such payment shall be refunded to ratepayers by using such payment to offset the costs to all customers of electric distribution companies of the costs of contracts entered into pursuant to sections 16-244r and 16-244t. Any excess amount remaining from such payment shall be applied to reduce the costs of contracts entered into pursuant to subdivision (2) of subsection (j) of section 16-244c, and if any excess amount remains, such amount shall be applied to reduce costs collected through nonbypassable, federally mandated congestion charges, as defined in section 16-1.

(l) (1) An electric aggregator shall not be subject to the provisions of subsections (a) to (k), inclusive, of this section.

(2) No electric aggregator shall negotiate a contract for the purchase of electric generation services from an electric supplier unless such aggregator has (A) obtained a certificate of registration from the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority in accordance with this subsection, or (B) in the case of a municipality, regional water authority and the Materials Innovation and Recycling Authority, registered in accordance with section 16-245b. An electric aggregator that was licensed pursuant to this section prior to July 1, 2003, shall receive a certificate of registration on July 1, 2003.

(3) An application for a certificate of registration shall be filed with the authority, accompanied by a fee as determined by the authority. The application shall contain such information as the authority may deem relevant, including, but not limited to, the following: (A) The address of the applicant’s headquarters and the articles of incorporation, if applicable, as filed with the state in which the applicant is incorporated; (B) the address of the applicant’s principal office in the state, if any, or the address of the applicant’s agent for service in the state; (C) the toll-free or in-state telephone number of the applicant; (D) information about the applicant’s corporate structure, if applicable, including financial names and financial statements, as relevant, concerning corporate affiliates; (E) disclosure of whether the applicant or any of the applicant’s corporate affiliates or officers, if applicable, have been or are currently under investigation for violation of any consumer protection law or regulation to which it is subject, either in this state or in another state. Each registered electric aggregator shall update the information contained in this subdivision as necessary.

(4) Not more than thirty days after receiving an application for a certificate of registration, the authority shall notify the applicant whether the application is complete or whether the applicant must submit additional information. The authority shall grant or deny the application for a certificate of registration not more than ninety days after receiving all information required of an applicant. The authority shall hold a public hearing on an application upon the request of any interested party.

(5) As a condition for maintaining a certificate of registration, the registered electric aggregator shall ensure that, where applicable, it complies with the National Labor Relations Act and regulations, if applicable, and it complies with the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act and applicable regulations.

(6) Any registered electric aggregator that fails to comply with a registration condition or violates any provision of this section shall be subject to civil penalties by the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority in accordance with the procedures contained in section 16-41, or the suspension or revocation of such registration, or a prohibition on accepting new customers following a hearing that is conducted as a contested case in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54.

(1949 Rev., S. 5657; P.A. 75-486, S. 1, 69; P.A. 77-614, S. 162, 610; P.A. 80-482, S. 106, 348; P.A. 98-28, S. 22, 117; P.A. 00-53, S. 13; P.A. 02-46, S. 6; P.A. 03-135, S. 6; 03-221, S. 5; P.A. 04-236, S. 10, 11; P.A. 11-80, S. 1, 104; P.A. 13-5, S. 42; 13-303, S. 11; P.A. 14-75, S. 2; 14-94, S. 1, 60; P.A. 17-64, S. 1; 17-144, S. 5.)

History: P.A. 75-486 replaced public utilities commission with public utilities control authority; P.A. 77-614 replaced public utilities control authority with division of public utility control within the department of business regulation, effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 80-482 made division an independent department and abolished the department of business regulation; P.A. 98-28 deleted former provisions re notice of intent to sell and distribute electricity and added new Subsecs. (a) to (l) re licensing of electric suppliers, effective July 1, 1998; P.A. 00-53 amended Subsec. (b) by adding references to regional water authorities; P.A. 02-46 amended Subsec. (b) by making a technical change, deleting “and the Connecticut Resources Recovery Authority” and inserting provisions re licensing requirements for, and restrictions on, said authority, effective April 30, 2002; P.A. 03-135 made technical changes, amended Subsec. (b) to delete provision re municipalities and regional water authorities and to delete provision re aggregation, bordering or marketing the sale of electric generation services, amended Subsec. (c) to delete Subdivs. (2) to (6), inclusive, re factors an applicant must demonstrate to the department to obtain a license, amended Subsec. (d) to add provision in Subdiv. (5) re corporate affiliates or officers of an applicant, to delete former Subdiv. (7) re attestation re certain chapters of the general statutes to which the applicant is subject and to redesignate existing Subdiv. (8) as new Subdiv. (7), amended Subsec. (f) to delete reference to notice and hearing and provision re contested case and to add provision re public hearing upon request of interested party, amended Subsec. (g) to reword provisions re license conditions, to add provisions re membership of the New England Power Pool and the rules of the regional independent system operator and to add new Subdivs. (9) to (12), deleted former Subsec. (k) re provisions to which an electric aggregator are subject, redesignated existing Subsec. (l) as new Subsec. (k) and amended said Subsec. to clarify provisions re penalties and to add provisions re penalties for failure to comply with renewable portfolio standards, and added new Subsec. (l) re certificates of registration for electric aggregators, effective July 1, 2003; P.A. 03-221 amended Subsec. (k) to make a technical change, effective July 1, 2003; P.A. 04-236 amended Subsecs. (g) and (l)(6) to make technical changes, effective June 8, 2004; P.A. 11-80 amended Subsec. (g) by replacing “Commissioner of Environmental Protection” with “Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection” in Subdiv. (3), by adding new Subdiv. (12) re time-of-use price option and by redesignating existing Subdiv. (12) as Subdiv. (13), effective July 1, 2011; pursuant to P.A. 11-80, “Department of Public Utility Control” and “department” were changed editorially by the Revisors to “Public Utilities Regulatory Authority” and “authority”, respectively, and “Renewable Energy Investment Fund” was changed editorially by the Revisors to “Clean Energy Fund”, effective July 1, 2011; P.A. 13-5 amended Subsec. (k) to make a technical change, effective May 8, 2013; P.A. 13-303 amended Subsec. (k) to add provisions re authority to conduct uncontested proceedings re licensee failure to comply with renewable portfolio standards and to add provisions re refunding payments to ratepayers, effective June 5, 2013; P.A. 14-75 amended Subsec. (g) by adding Subdivs. (14) and (15) re electric generation service rate, effective July 1, 2014; P.A. 14-94 amended Subsec. (g)(14) by deleting “eligible for standard service” and adding provision re customers with a peak demand of less than 50 kilowatts during a 12-month period, effective July 1, 2014; pursuant to P.A. 14-94, “Connecticut Resources Recovery Authority” was changed editorially by the Revisors to “Materials Innovation and Recycling Authority” in Subsecs. (b) and (l)(2), effective June 6, 2014; P.A. 17-64 amended Subsec. (g) by adding “chapter 277a, state environmental laws and” in Subdiv. (3), adding “renewable” re portfolio standards, adding “established in or”, and making a technical change in Subdiv. (4), deleting former Subdivs. (10) and (11) re compliance with Ch. 277a and state environmental laws and regulations and compliance with renewable portfolio standards, respectively, and redesignating Subdivs. (12) to (15) as Subdivs. (10) to (13); P.A. 17-144 amended Subsec. (k) by adding Subdiv. (1) re calendar years up to and including calendar year 2017, and adding Subdiv. (2) re calendar years commencing on and after January 1, 2018, effective June 27, 2017.