The Customer, the Utility and the Scheduling Coordinator all have various responsibilities in the Retail Open Access process. These responsibilities include the following: costs; construction; metering/telecommunications; taxes (franchise fees, municipal/state/federal); and Ancillary Services. Generally speaking the customer is responsible for ensuring that the new provider is in conformance with the provisions of Section 6 of SB 372, which is the Renewable Energy Supply Portfolio requirements. Additionally, NV Energy customers in southern Nevada applications must include a 10% energy provision to be presented to the PUCN for the Utility (see NRS 704B.320).

Customer Responsibilities

There are three basic costs an Eligible Customer is responsible for when they choose an alternative energy source:

• All outstanding charges, including facilities charges and deferred energy balances, remaining with the Utility relating to energy.
  
• An impact charge that measures impact to remaining customers and the electric utility arising from the customers departure.
  
• Metering, telecommunications and any additional operations expenses.

Costs associated if a customer chooses to come back to the Utility for their energy:

Returning energy customers will be required to pay incremental costs. Another indirect cost to the customer, may be the requirement to remain with the Utility for a period of time up to 12 months following their return. This tariff has been filed with the PUCN, but an order has not yet been received. For more information, please refer to the Incremental Tariff, Docket #02-1020 and 02-1021.

Utility Responsibilities

It is the responsibility of the Utility to:

• Actively participate in the regulatory process
• Assist PUCN in establishing the rules
• Make necessary filings according to regulatory schedules
• Work to find mutually agreeable solutions to issues
• Identify solutions to issues as they arise
• Work with customers and regulators to resolve issues
• Maintain ongoing communications with customers
• Schedule individual customer meetings as requested
• Monitor applications and filings for impacts to remaining customers and shareholders
• Monitor reliability issues
• Monitor cost impacts
• Provide and bill for the requested service

Distribution Utility Responsibilities

• Comply with the Utility's responsibilities as per NRS 704B
• Execute a Distribution-Only Services (DOS) Agreement with the Utility

Transmission Utility Responsibilities

• Comply with the requirements of the OATT, the Federal Power Act, and the FERC policies and directives
• Provide transmission service pursuant to an executed Transmission Services Agreement
• Comply with NRS Chapter 704B and applicable regulatory requirements
• Respond to the Eligible Customer/Scheduling Coordinator in accordance with the Open Access Transmission Tariff (OATT) and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) requirements

Energy Provider / Scheduling Coordinator Responsibilities

• Supply energy per customer contract
• Abide by transmission agreements
• Comply with the requirements of the OATT, the Federal Power Act, and the FERC policies and directives
• Comply with NRS Chapter 704B and applicable regulatory requirements

Renewable Energy Requirements

The renewable energy requirements for new electric resources are the same as those of the utilities as per Section 6 of SB 372.

Frequently Asked Questions

• How will municipal/county franchise fees be handled?
  It is anticipated that the Utility will provide local governments with necessary customer contact information for those customers who are receiving services from new providers.
  
• Since there are constraints on the importing to the uncongested transmission system, how will Eligible Customers' transmission rights be allocated or provided to Eligible Customers if the transmission service application requests a constrained path?
  Since the ability to import into the uncongested transmission system is constrained, a short-term solution for transmission access has been proposed to support the implementation of Retail Open Access in Nevada. The Proposal for the Temporary Release of Transmission Import "Pro-Rata" Transmission Allocation Methods for Retail Open Access Eligible Customers can be found at the following link: Proposal for the Temporary Release of Transmission Import "Pro-Rata" Transmission Allocation Methods for Retail Open Access Eligible Customers (AB 661 or SB 211). The transmission service request made by the Scheduling Coordinator on behalf of the Eligible Customer will be fulfilled by the Transmission Provider as soon as possible which will alleviate the need for the use of the pro rata allocation.
  
• Who pays for the required metering and installation for a government entity?
  The Energy Provider is responsible for all metering and installation costs.