IOUs Jointly Submit Advice Letter Implementing Small Business Customer Outreach Pilot
The IOUs joint submittal is intended to provide the implementation parameters, cost recovery, and timeline for a Small Business Customer Outreach Pilot targeted at Small Business Customers in disadvantaged communities ("DAC"). The IOUs propose to begin pre-pilot activities in January 2022 and pilot implementation in March 2022.
Below is a brief summary of the IOUs Joint Advice Letter Submittal:
Pilot Objective:
The objective of the Small Business Customer Outreach Pilot is to reduce bill arrearages and drive persistent bill savings for Small Business Customers by providing one-on-one energy management coaching on how best to reduce existing bills and help customers navigate the utility’s portfolio of rate options and programs.
Customer Participation Criteria:
In adherence with the Decision, the Utilties propose to target Small Business Customers that are located in a DAC, which the CPUC delineates through the use of the CalEnviroScreen from the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment. Within these DACs, the Utilities propose to target Small Business Customers that have COVID-19 related arrearages and who were eligible for automatic enrollment in COVID-19 Small Business Relief Payment Plans as defined by D.21-06-036.
The Utilities propose to target 9,550 (or 33 percent) of the Small Business Customers located in DAC that were automatically enrolled in payment plans for outreach by Energy Ambassadors. Specifically, PG&E would target 3,500 of its eligible Small Business Customers, SCE would target 4,000, and SDG&E would target all 800 if its eligible customers.
Customer Intervention Strategies:
The Utilities have identified four intervention strategies and corresponding tactics to meet the pilot’s objective in achieving persistent bill savings for Small Business Customers. These four strategies are (1) data analytics on rate and energy action plans, (2) customized outreach and one-on-one coaching through Energy Ambassadors, (3) energy audits, and (4) post pilot energy assessments.
Energy Ambassadors & Customer Programs/Rates to be Offered:
The Utilities propose to hire and use a single statewide implementer for the pilot. It would allow for Energy Ambassadors to include any information on programs administered by the applicable Community Choice Aggregator ("CCA") of which the Utilities are not aware.
The third-party implementer must present relevant utility, CCA, and any applicable third-party offerings equally and not provide a recommendation for why a customer should select one over the other.
Each utility or CCA would be responsible for creating its own outreach materials and messaging, as well as providing that information to the statewide implementer for inclusion in the one-on-one counseling with the Small Business Customers.
Each utility or CCA ha s the ability to define and provide guidance and training to the statewide implementer on marketing and communications administered with the Small Business Customers.
The Utilities propose that the pilot provide outreach to customers regarding the Utilities’ EE, DR, energy programs, and portfolio of rate options. In addition to the Utilities’ programs, any CCA would be welcome to also provide their own respective programs as offerings so that the customer is provided with a full view of all applicable programs. The CCA would be responsible for creating their own outreach materials for their own programs and for training the Energy Ambassadors on any specific nuances.
Proposed Budget and Cost Recovery:
The Utilities provide below the estimated costs for the statewide pilot, with costs ranging over a 2-year period bewteen $10.7 to $16.1 million combined for the Utilities.
Administrative costs are inclusive of utility program management and third-party vendor support, creation of marketing and outreach materials, reporting, and any costs associated with the solicitation for the third-party implementer or evaluator. This also includes any technical assistance for the third-parties and ongoing training should any new programs be included in the pilot.
As the IOUs will track all pilot-related costs in their existing COVID-19 Pandemic Protection Memorandum Accounts (CPPMA) authorized by the Commission in Resolution M-4842. These costs will be subject to Commission review applicable to such memorandum accounts in accordance with Commission Resolution E-3238 and Section 454.9 of the California Public Utilities Code.
Metrics & Evaluation:
The Utilities propose to leverage an experimental design15 to evaluate the success of the pilot. The Utilities plan to engage a statewide evaluation, measurement and verification (EM&V) consultant to support the process design and evaluation process.
The proposed evaluation plan will be shared with CPUC staff and stakeholders for feedback prior to being finalized.
