(a) The Public Utilities Regulatory Authority, in consultation with the Office of Consumer Counsel, shall establish a program for the dissemination of information regarding electric suppliers. Such program shall require electric distribution companies to distribute an informational summary on electric suppliers to any new customer and to existing customers beginning on January 1, 2004, and semiannually thereafter. Such informational summary shall be developed by the authority and shall include, but not be limited to, the name of each licensed electric supplier, the state where the supplier is based, information on whether the supplier has active offerings for either residential or commercial and industrial consumers, the telephone number and Internet web site of the supplier, and information as to whether the supplier offers electric generation services from renewable energy sources in excess of the portfolio standards established pursuant to section 16-245a. The authority shall include pricing information in the informational summary to the extent the authority determines feasible. The authority shall post the informational summary in a conspicuous place on its Internet web site and provide electronic links to the Internet web site of each supplier. The authority shall update the informational summary on its Internet web site on at least a quarterly basis.

(b) (1) On or before October 1, 2014, the authority shall redesign the rate board Internet web site to better enable customers to compare pricing policies and charges among electric suppliers. Such redesign shall (A) reflect the best practices of similar rate board Internet web sites in other states and the development of a process to remove an electric supplier's price listings from such Internet web site based on protocols established by the authority to ensure compliance with this chapter and to address customer complaints, and (B) emphasize (i) uniformity in how electric suppliers provide information for each category on the rate board Internet web site, (ii) ease of use by customers, and (iii) ease of selecting and purchasing a specific contract from an electric supplier shown on the rate board Internet web site.

(2) On or before July 1, 2017, and every two years thereafter, the authority shall review the rate board Internet web site and make any improvements to ensure such Internet web site remains a progressive tool for customers to compare pricing policies and charges among electric suppliers.

(P.A. 98-28, S. 17, 117; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-9, S. 18, 131; P.A. 03-135, S. 5; P.A. 10-32, S. 55; P.A. 11-80, S. 1; P.A. 13-5, S. 10; P.A. 14-75, S. 5; P.A. 15-12, S. 2.)

History: P.A. 98-28 effective July 1, 1998; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-9 extended the authority of the Department of Public Utility Control to retain consultants for implementing the public education outreach program from December 31, 2000, to December 31, 2005, effective July 1, 2001; P.A. 03-135 added new Subsec. (f) re program for the dissemination of information re electric suppliers and added new Subsec. (e) re the restart of the education outreach program, effective July 1, 2003; P.A. 10-32 made technical changes in Subsec. (f), effective May 10, 2010; pursuant to P.A. 11-80, “Department of Public Utility Control” and “department” were changed editorially by the Revisors to “Public Utilities Regulatory Authority” and “authority”, respectively, and “Department of Environmental Protection” was changed editorially by the Revisors to “Department of Energy and Environmental Protection”, effective July 1, 2011; P.A. 13-5 deleted former Subsecs. (a) to (e) and (g) re comprehensive public education outreach program and Consumer Education Advisory Council, and deleted Subsec. (f) designator, effective May 8, 2013; P.A. 14-75 designated existing provisions as Subsec. (a) and made technical changes therein and added Subsec. (b) re rate board Internet web site, effective June 3, 2014; P.A. 15-12 made a technical change in Subsec. (b)(2).