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05/03 |
Governor signs State Natural Gas
Regulation Act (Bill 790). The act
repeals the Municipal Natural Gas Regulation Act and creates a new
regulatory structure whereby the Nebraska Public Service Commission
will regulate natural gas utilities, assuming responsibility for
rates charged for gas service and also the terms and conditions of
service. The act includes an option for municipalities and LDCs to
negotiate rates; otherwise the PSC will do so. Public utilities
doing business in the State must obtain a certificate of public
convenience from the PSC. The act becomes effective on January 1,
2004. |
Regulatory
Action |
09/09 |
PSC dismisses United Energy's certificate application. United Energy Trading, LLC, Lakewood, Colorado, in October 2008 applied for a certificate as a competitive natural gas provider. However, the PSC dismissed the application because the company failed to provide the necessary authorization from the Nebraska Secretary of State. |
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07/09 |
SourceGas requests rate increase. The company filed an application seeking approval of a general rate increase. The PSC scheduled a planning conference for August and proposed a procedural schedule that would result in a final order on the application in January 2010. |
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06/09 |
Planning conference set on review of SourceGas billing system. Parties will discuss the scope of the review, which will include audits of gas cost adjustment (GCA) and the new customer billing system. Proposed procedures would review company's GCA calculations from January 1, 2007, to the present, determine how contract price and volumes are allocated among jurisdictions, and trace GCA to customers' bills. They would also determine how the new billing system will be tested, observe the system from meter to customer bill output, determine number of billing cycles, and see how the system handles levelized billing. |
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03/09 |
Review of SourceGas billing system. The PSC ordered an audit of the SourceGas billing system after receiving several complaints from customers. The company reached an agreement in October 2008 to terminate its contract with a third-party vendor that currently provides billing and customer service functions. After a transition period, those functions will be performed by SourceGas. |
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03/09 |
Supplier certificate canceled. The PSC granted Cornerstone Energy's (CEI) petition to withdraw its certificate as a competitive gas supplier in the State. The company received a certificate on November 25, 2003. Constellation NewEnergy-Gas Division purchased assets of Cornerstone in July 2007 and operated the business as Cornerstone Energy, LLC, doing business as Constellation NewEnergy-Gas Division CEI, LLC (CEI). |
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02/09 |
New supplier certified. The PSC certifies Asgard Energy, LLC, Denver, CO, as a competitive gas supplier. |
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10/08 |
Third set of proposed rules adopted. The rules clarified the PSC's role regarding service area changes, clarified supplier and aggregator certification procedures, and specified procedures related to billing adjustments for slow or fast meters and other meter errors. |
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04/08 |
Third set of proposed rules released. The PSC requests comments by May 21, 2008, on the third set of proposed rules regarding meter errors, consumer choice programs, aggregators and suppliers, and emergency curtailment plans. A hearing is set for May 28, 2008. |
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03/08 |
PSC continues SourceGas investigation. Computer software-related problems with the company's new billing system, implemented in September 2007, resulted in many customers not receiving monthly bills. Beginning April 15, 2008, the company must file a monthly customer service report detailing the number of customers affected by billing problems, the number of customer disconnections for nonpayent, statistics on customer service calls, number of customer service representatives, data from customer service surveys, and copies of written communications to customers and standard scripts for call handling. |
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11/07 |
New supplier certified. The PSC certifies Coral Energy Resources, L.P., as a competitive gas supplier. |
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10/07 |
New supplier certified. The PSC certifies Tenaska Marketing Ventures, Omaha, as a competitive gas supplier. |
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08/07 |
PSC sets October deadline for comments on proposed rules. The PSC asks for comments on proposed rules for Legislative Bill 1249 and rules regarding meter errors, consumer choice programs, aggregators and suppliers, and emergency curtailment plans. A hearing date is set for October 16, 2007. |
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07/07 |
New supplier certified. The PSC certifies CenterPoint Energy Services, Inc., as a competitive gas supplier. |
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05/07 |
New supplier certified. The PSC certifies Constellation NewEnergy-Gas Division LLC as a competitive gas supplier. |
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04/07 |
PSC investigates SourceGas service. The PSC opens an investigation of certain customer service issues raised during hearings related to the recent Kinder Morgan (now SourceGas) rate increase. |
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02/07 |
PSC approves Kinder Morgan sale. The PSC approves transfer of Kinder Morgan, Inc.'s Nebraska Certificate of Convenience and utility assets to Source Gas Distribution LLC and change of control of Source Gas Distribution LLC from Kinder Morgan, Inc., to Source Gas LLC. |
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12/06 |
PSC approves Kinder Morgan rate increase and settlement with the public advocate. The PSC authorized Kinder Morgan to continue collecting a Choice Gas Program supplier fee that will be adjusted annually beginning May 31, 2007. The PSC approved an annual base rate increase that phases in higher customer charges while lowering volumetric charges. All 11 rate areas are merged into one. New rates take effect Jan. 1, 2007, and will be adjusted on April 1 of 2008 and 2009. The PSC also authorized a new small commercial customer class. |
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10/06 |
PSC opens docket to adopt rules for legislative bill 1249 and add rules regarding meter errors, consumer choice programs, aggregators and suppliers, and emergency curtailment plans. Comments on the proposed amendments are due by November 15, 2006, and a public hearing will be scheduled at a later date. |
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08/06 |
PSC investigates interaction among aggregators, suppliers, and utilities offering customer choice programs. PSC determined that utilities should include an aggregator code of conduct in their tariffs and all aggregators must be certified by the PSC. Also choice customers who choose to use an aggregator should be treated no differently than those making a choice personally. |
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03/06 |
PSC rejects Ace's application to become competitive gas supplier for entire State. The Public Alliance for Community Energy (ACE) is a collection of 66
communities and one public power district formed through interlocal
agreements. Although ACE wanted to expand its supplier services beyond the Kinder Morgan service area, the PSC ruled that as a political subdivision ACE does not have the power to function outside its area. |
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06/05 |
PSC opens docket for administration of
consumer choice programs. PSC began an
investigation into setting rules for administering consumer choice
programs in the State. The investigation will explore the following
issues: adoption of a standard code of conduct for utilities
offering consumer choice programs; educational information about
choice for consumers; annual reporting requirements for utilities
offering choice and for participating marketers; and whether and how
to calculate cost comparisons among suppliers for the benefit of
consumers. |
Municipality/ Community
Action |
04/09 |
Customers select suppliers for 2009-2010
choice program. Enrollment ended on April 30, 2009. Selections were as follows: SourceGas Energy Services:
40,918; Public Alliance for Community Energy: 27,175;
ONEOK Energy Marketing Company: 8,727; and Asgard Energy: 4,382. |
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05/08 |
Customers select suppliers for 2008-2009
choice program. Enrollment ended on May 1, 2008. Selections were as follows: SourceGas Energy Services: 46,162; Public Alliance for Community Energy: 27,786;
and ONEOK Energy Marketing Company: 8,850. |
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05/07 |
Customers select suppliers for 2007-2008. Enrollment ended on May 1, 2007. Selections were as follows: SourceGas Energy Services:
46,523; Public Alliance for Community Energy: 28,200;
and ONEOK Energy Marketing Company: 7,586. |
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05/06 |
Customers select suppliers for 2006-2007. Enrollment ended on May 1, 2006. Selections were as follows: Kinder Morgan Choice Gas Supply:
49,829; Public Alliance for Community Energy: 26,714;
and ONEOK Energy Marketing Company: 7,662. |
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05/05 |
Customers select suppliers for 2005-2006. Balloting to
select a supplier for the 2005 choice program occurred in April
2005. Selections were as follows: Kinder Morgan Choice Gas Supply:
55,153; Public Alliance for Community Energy: 23,882;
and ONEOK Energy Marketing: 6,683. |