Illinois General Assembly - Bill Status for HB3037

Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Public Utilities Act. Provides that a gas utility with more than 100,000 customers that offers transportation service to residential and small commercial customers shall file a certain tariff under the Act within 6 months after the date of the amendatory Act that provides qualifying alternative gas suppliers with the option to have the gas utility purchase their receivables for gas sales that are (1) made to residential retail customers and small commercial customers and (2) charged on the gas utility's bill. Provides that receivables for gas sales of qualifying alternative gas suppliers that are charged on the gas utility's bill shall be purchased by the gas utility at a discount rate of 1%. Provides that 0.5% of this 1% discount rate shall be retained by the gas utility for recovery of deemed intangible costs, and neither this 0.5% portion of the rate, nor the deemed intangible costs, are subject to review by the Commission. Provides that the other 0.5% of the 1% discount rate shall be retained by the gas utility for recovery of the utility's administrative costs and is subject to periodic review by the Commission. Provides that the utility shall refund to all customers any portion of the 0.5% intended for recovery of administrative costs that is found by the Commission, after notice and hearing, to be in excess of prudent and reasonable costs. Sets forth factors the Commission shall consider in making a just and reasonable determination on the administrative costs. Provides that reasonable start-up costs and administrative costs associated with the gas utility's purchase of receivables shall in the first instance be recovered from qualifying alternative gas suppliers through the utility's discount rate assessed by the utility on those qualifying alternative gas suppliers who have the utility purchase their receivables. Provides that a portion of the gas utility's reasonable start-up costs, subject to reasonable carrying charges as determined by the Commission, may be deferred for later recovery from qualifying alternative gas suppliers who have the gas utility purchase their receivables through the discount rate or a monthly per bill fee if such deferral is deemed to be necessary by the Commission. Provides that a gas utility retains the rights to (1) impose the same terms on retail customers supplied by qualifying alternative gas suppliers with respect to credit and collection, including requests for deposits, and (2) disconnect the retail customers, if it does not receive payment for its tariffed services or purchased receivables, in the same manner that it would be permitted to if the retail customers had purchased gas supply service from the gas utility. Provides that amounts collected by the utility attributable to the 0.5% portion of the discount rate for recovery of deemed intangible costs shall not be used by the Commission to lower the base rate revenue requirement of the utility in any subsequent rate case. Defines "administrative costs" and "qualifying alternative gas supplier". Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

×