JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The Missouri Public Service Commission and Ameren Missouri still seem to have some changes to make on the kind of language that should be used concerning the resale of electricity to be used for electric vehicle charging stations.
The commission on Wednesday afternoon unanimously voted to reject Ameren’s tariff filing, which Ameren had been directed to “file an amended tariff to revise the existing prohibition on the resale of electricity in order to clarify that EV charging stations are not reselling electricity.”
However, the proposed tariff sheets that Ameren submitted state that, “The furnishing of metered electric service by a customer of Company to a third party for a specific identifiable charge based upon such metered consumption is prohibited … except where the resale of electricity is for the purpose of electric vehicle charging.”
The PSC staff says the difference between the two proposals is that the commission’s proposal designates electricity for EV charging as not constituting the sale for resale of electricity. Ameren’s language, they argue, creates an exception.
The PSC staff proposed the following alternative to Ameren Missouri in an attempt to align the proposed tariff sheets with the Commission’s previous order:
RESALE OF SERVICE
The furnishing of metered electric service by a customer of Company to a third party for a specific identifiable charge based upon such metered consumption is prohibited except where such practice originated prior to July 24, 1958, and except where the resale of electricity is for the purpose of electric vehicle charging. Where such practice has continued since July 24, 1958, the charge for electric service from customer to a third party shall not exceed the charge which would result from the application of Company’s appropriate rate, contained herein, for comparable electric service. For such exceptions, the practice of resale shall be discontinued when such premises are remodeled, rebuilt or replaced. Electricity from electric vehicle charging service by a third party does not constitute metered electric service or the resale of electricity.
Ameren Missouri responded to Staff’s suggestion with the following language:
RESALE OF SERVICE
The furnishing of metered electric service by a customer of Company to a third party for a specific identifiable charge based upon such metered consumption is prohibited except where such practice originated prior to July 24, 1958, and except where the resale of electricity is for the purpose of electric vehicle charging. Where such practice has continued since July 24, 1958, the charge for electric service from customer to a third party shall not exceed the charge which would result from the application of Company’s appropriate rate, contained herein, for comparable electric service. For such exceptions, the practice of resale shall be discontinued when such premises are remodeled, rebuilt or replaced. The resale of electricity by a customer, when purchased from Company for the provision of electric vehicle charging services, shall not be prohibited.
“I do support the order, as there’s a discrepancy in our final order,” Hall said, noting that there was two paragraphs that were inconsistent. With the staff’s latest recommendations, and a 5-0 vote, Ameren now is directed to file it again with the revisions.
The second item on then PSC’s agenda for Wednesday also involved Ameren Missouri in the matter of their request to modify their company’s Technical Resource Manual (TRM) in the MEEIA program.
The proposed changes would add five new measures to Ameren’s portfolio, update the TRM’s effective date to accommodate new measures, and update contact information for the company’s staff.
Chairman Daniel Hall noted that there had been no opposition, but did have a couple of questions about the measures.
“Four of them are for lighting, the other is for the thermostat,” Hall said. Staff responded, saying it’s no new additional programs, just new measures added on.
It was approved by a 5-0 vote.
The third and final tariff or order to come before the commission was in the matter of Laclede Gas Company’s revised tariff sheet. Laclede filed their fifth revised tariff sheet in late May, which carried a proposed effective date of June 25. While filing, they also asked for expedited treatment, requesting the commission to approve the new sheet by June 14.
The purpose of the new tariff sheet is to provide a clarification which states that there will not be a service initiation fee or reconnection charge applied to customers having natural gas service restored after losing service due to the flooding this spring. It carries a one-year grace period. Laclede also included language that guarantees there will be no negative impact to other customers, as Laclede will alone carry the costs of that relief.
“Laclede, to their credit, came forward with this,” Hall said, noting that that 110 homes still remain without service. The commission signed off on it with another 5-0 vote.
Benjamin Peters was a reporter for The Missouri Times and Missouri Times Magazine and also produced the #MoLeg Podcast. He joined The Missouri Times in 2016 after working as a sports editor and TV news producer in mid-Missouri. Benjamin is a graduate of Missouri State University in Springfield.
