Updates certain notification requirements in "Energy Bill Watch" program.
What changed between versions
The definition of 'electric public utility' was expanded from utilities that 'distribute electricity' to those that 'transmit and distribute electricity,' bringing transmission utilities within the bill's scope.
Notification timing was changed from 'on the 10th day' and 'on the 20th day' of each billing cycle to 'during the week of the 10th day' and 'during the week of the 20th day,' giving utilities a broader window to send notifications.
The initial enrollment notification method was changed from text message (with email as a fallback when no phone number is on file) to 'bill insert or electronic mail.' This removes text message as the required primary channel for the initial program availability notice.
A new subsection c(5) establishes that if a smart meter customer does not express a preference for receiving notifications via text message or email, the utility must default to sending notifications via electronic mail.
The term 'notice' was changed to 'notification' in several places (subsections b(4) and c(4)), and the opt-out information in subsection c(2) was restructured into lettered subparts (a) and (b).
