PURA convenes technical meeting to amend standard service procurement plan under Public Act 25-173

The Public Utilities Regulatory Authority on Tuesday convened a technical meeting for Docket 12O602REO4 to guide an amendment to Connecticut’s standard service procurement plan required by Public Act 25-173. Graham Turk of PURA staff opened the session and said the procurement plan is due to the authority by 2026-02-15 and that commissioners will review any proposed amendment prior to approval.

PURA staff read the statute aloud to the record, citing a requirement that each electric distribution company (EDC) develop and maintain the ability to engage in "dynamic market purchases" for not less than 25% of standard service load and directing inclusion of a risk-mitigation provision. Turk said the meeting would focus on circumstances under which EDCs should exercise dynamic purchases, possible proxy-price approaches, and implementation issues including day-ahead forecasting and staffing to meet ISO New England obligations.

Representatives from Connecticut’s two investor-owned utilities described how standard service is procured today. Katarina Miller of United Illuminating explained that standard service is a default supply for customers who do not select a competitive supplier, that procurement currently uses six‑month tranches and full‑requirement contracts, and that the procurement manager appointed by PURA approves RFPs and awards. Parker Littlehale of Eversource described the New England wholesale market dynamics—noting natural gas is often the marginal fuel and winter pipeline constraints drive price spikes—and framed procurement choices on a risk spectrum from full‑requirements contracts (left) to spot/dynamic purchases or self‑supply (right).

PURA staff said the docket will continue to accept written comments and that the authority may issue further prompts or interrogatories as the amendment work progresses. No formal vote or decision was taken at the meeting; the session was a technical convening to build the record and solicit stakeholder options ahead of submission of the procurement plan in February 2026.