Orders

ORDER NUMBER

G-121-23

 

IN THE MATTER OF

the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473

 

and

 

Easy Energy Inc.

Potential Non-Compliance with the Electronic Third-Party Verification Script for Gas Marketers

 

BEFORE:

B. A. Magnan, Panel Chair

E. B. Lockhart, Commissioner

A. Pape-Salmon, Commissioner

 

on May 26, 2023

 

ORDER

WHEREAS:

 

A.      On January 24, 2023, an Easy Energy Inc. (Easy Energy) residential customer filed a dispute with the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) on the basis that Easy Energy had misrepresented its rate during its enrolment of the customer (Dispute);

B.      Easy Energy is a licensed Gas Marketer located in Surrey, BC, with approximately 19,000 customers and operates as part of the Natural Gas Customer Choice Marketing Program in BC (Customer Choice);

C.      As a condition of its license, Easy Energy is required to abide by the Rules for Gas Marketers, approved by the BCUC on October 18, 2013, by Order A-12-13, and Code of Conduct for Gas Marketers (Code of Conduct), approved by the BCUC on September 29, 2015, by Order A-12-15. The Code of Conduct requires that Gas Marketers enroll customers on fair and ethical terms;

D.      On January 27, 2023, as part of the Customer Choice dispute process, Easy Energy also submitted the Electronic Third-Party Verification (E-TPV) sent to the customer on July 6, 2022;

E.       E-TPV is the form of an electronic process, conducted by the Gas Marketer, where, after signing a contract, customers are required to verify certain aspects of their enrolment and contract. Gas Marketers must submit all E-TPV materials to BCUC staff for review and approval prior to commercial distribution and/or use;

F.       As part of the Customer Choice dispute process, BCUC staff reviewed Easy Energy’s Submission and noted several inconsistencies between the E-TPV sent by Easy Energy to the customer and the version approved by the BCUC on February 28, 2022, by Order L-3-22; and

G.      The BCUC has reviewed the matter and considers further process is warranted.

NOW THEREFORE the BCUC orders as follows:

 

1.       A public hearing process to determine whether Easy Energy is in breach of the Code of Conduct for Gas Marketers is established in accordance with the regulatory timetable attached as Appendix A to this order.

2.       Easy Energy is directed to provide notice of this order in a clearly visible location on the homepage of its website, on or before Tuesday, June 6, 2023, until directed otherwise by the BCUC.

 

 

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this                26^th        of May 2023.

 

BY ORDER

 

Original signed by:

 

B. A. Magnan

Commissioner

 

 

Attachment

 

 

Easy Energy Inc.

Potential Non-Compliance with the Electronic Third-Party Verification Script for Gas Marketers