Electric utilities; retail competition.

Electric utilities; retail competition. Shortens fromfive years to three years the period that a customer who switches from aninvestor-owned electric utility to a licensed competing supplier is barred fromreturning as a customer of the utility. The measure provides that if a singleperson purchases electric energy from a licensed supplier and such electricenergy is composed of a percentage of renewable energy equal to or greater thanthe percentage of renewable energy that the licensed supplier is required toprovide pursuant to any renewable energy portfolio standard, such person willconstitute a single retail customer, notwithstanding that service is providedto noncontiguous sites. Under current law, for the purposes of purchasingenergy from a licensed competing supplier, noncontiguous sites are consideredindividual retail customers and cannot be aggregated to meet the energy demandthreshold regardless of common ownership or control. The measure provides thatfor cooperative customers the lockout period remains five years andnoncontiguous sites are still considered individual retail customers. Themeasure also allows individual retail customers of an electric utility topurchase electric energy provided 100 percent from renewable energy from anylicensed supplier. The measure eliminates the condition that permits suchpurchases only if the electric utility serving the applicable exclusive serviceterritory does not offer a tariff for 100 percent renewable energy. Finally,the measure directs the State Corporation Commission to update its consumerprotection regulations relating to the availability of service through licensedsuppliers.