860-038-0260 Direct Access (1) By March 1, 2002, an electric company must allow nonresidential consumers to choose direct access. (2) An electric company must develop direct access rates as follows: (a) The direct access rates must be based on the unbundled costs identified through the application of OAR 860-038-0200; (b) The direct access rates for any class of customer must be based on the unbundled costs to serve that class; (c) The direct access rates must include any additional electric company costs that are incurred when a consumer chooses to be served under the direct access rate option; (d) The direct access rates must exclude electric company costs that are avoided when a consumer chooses to be served under the direct access rate option; (e) An electric company may impose nonrecurring charges to recover the administrative costs of changing suppliers or rate options; and (f) Rates must be established so that costs associated with the development or offering of rate options are assigned to the retail electricity consumers eligible to choose such rate options. (3) After March 1, 2002, subject to Commission approval, an electric company may enter into special contracts for distribution service but may not enter into special contracts for power supply. (4) Operation of a special contract approved by the Commission prior to March 1, 2002, between an electric company and a retail electricity consumer that extends beyond March 1, 2002, will be governed by the terms of the contract. (5) Line extension charges must be independent of the power supply option elected by a retail electricity consumer. (6) Unless directed otherwise by the Commission, the electric company must standardize its direct access tariffs and contracts to the extent possible to conform to industry and national standards, and should include at least the following: (a) Definitions of services; (b) Rules for application for direct access service, including notice periods; (c) Rules for switching among forms of service, including notice periods; (d) Termination rights; (e) Dispute resolution; (f) Descriptions of required ancillary services, including statements of the conditions on self-supply, if any; (g) Billing and payment; (h) Liability and indemnification; (i) All necessary service schedules and technical requirements; and (j) Other provisions that the Commission determines are reasonable and necessary for direct access. (7) An electric company must file direct access tariffs that are practical and workable in combination with tariffs required by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). The electric company must: (a) Ensure the minimization of differences in service definitions between retail direct-access and wholesale open-access; (b) Ensure that services that are permitted to be self-supplied by the FERC are permitted to be self-supplied by the electric company, unless the company obtains an exception from the Commission; and (c) State rates, terms, and conditions in its Oregon tariffs that properly work in conjunction with the electric company’s FERC tariffs and, if not identical to, can at least be easily compared with those required by the FERC. Statutory/Other Authority: ORS 183, 756 & 757 Statutes/Other Implemented: ORS 756.040 & 757.600 - 757.667 History: PUC 18-2002, f. & cert. ef. 10-17-02 PUC 17-2000, f. & cert. ef. 9-29-00; PUC 21-2001(Temp), f. & cert. ef. 9-11-01 thru 3-10-01; PUC 11-2002, f. & cert. ef. 3-8-02