The Georgia Public Service Commission on Tuesday approved a plan to establish a provider of last resort (POLR) to allow natural gas customers disconnected for non-payment to reconnect their service. The commission chose Florida-based marketer Infinite Energy Inc. as the POLR, overcoming what was thought to be strong support for the frontrunners, considered to be Atlanta Gas Light, Georgia Natural Gas Services and Scana Energy.

In a vote of 3-2, with Commissioners Lauren “Bubba” McDonald Jr. and Stan Wise voting “no,” the PSC’s proposal would have customers paying a $150 deposit to be reconnected. However, the customers would not have to make payments on any past due balances owed to other marketers before being reconnected. Customers would pay 10 cents above Infinite’s current market rate and be charged a $11.95 monthly customer service charge for the service.

Gov. Roy Barnes in November pleaded with the PSC to implement a POLR after reports surfaced that nearly 50,000 Georgia customers had their gas service cut off for not paying their bills (see Daily GPI, Nov. 19). The POLR plan proposed by the PSC this week would expire on June 30, 2002. Customers disconnected on or before Nov. 15, 2001 would be eligible for the program.

The PSC also voted 3-2 to deny a petition by gas marketer Scana to allocate the costs of lost/unaccounted for natural gas to all classes of natural gas customers. Commissioners David Burgess and Stan Wise voted to uphold the petition.

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