Transcript SUMMARY OF THE ACTIVITIES OF THE HEALTH AND SAFETY …

NIGERIAN ELECTRICITY REGULATORY
COMMISSION
Partnership Exchange With The
National Association of Regulatory Utility
Commissioners
Sponsored by the
United States Agency for International Development
October 8-12, 2012
Electricity on Demand
OUTLINE
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Introduction
MPSC Experience
IURC Experience
Lesson Learnt
Way Forward
Electricity on Demand
Introduction
NARUC, NERC Partnership Program, the 8th in its series
is a platform for the exchange of experience, ideas
and information between NERC and NARUC. The goals
of this important partnership is to:
• Ensure improvement in regulatory practices
• Build institutional capacities
• Human capital development
Introduction
Parallel Breakout Session– Group 1
• Topic: IT Complaint Handling System Group
• Membership:
• Lead Moderators: Contessa Poole-King (MoPSC)
Anthony Akah
(NERC)
Kenya McMillin, Saidu Lawal, Chijoke Obi, Anthony Essien,
Arit Uya, Zubair Zubair, Uche Okoro, Daisy Okpale,
Chinedu Anyigor, Abdullahi Adamu, Abdulrasheed Busari,
Farouk Bello, Ntui Columbus, John Iyangemar, Abubakar
Maude, Dennis Ogbu, Ishaya Bassi
Missouri Public Service Commission
 Established in 1913. Five Commissioners appointed by the
Governor with the advice and consent of the Missouri
Senate for a six-year term.
 Regulates investor-owned electric, steam, natural gas, water,
sewer and telephone companies
 Regulates manufacturers and retail dealers who sell new and
used manufactured homes and modular units
 Mission: Ensuring Missouri consumers have access to safe,
reliable and reasonably priced utility service while allowing
those utility companies under our jurisdiction an
opportunity to earn a reasonable return on their investment.
MoPSC-Complaints Handling Procedure
 Informal Complaints
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Consumer Inquiry: An issue PSC staff can resolve without contacting the utility company.
Inquiries also incorporate EFIS Quick Hits that include “referrals” to other information
sources on matters over which the PSC has no jurisdiction (wireless, cable TV billing issues,
Internet service providers, satellite service).
Informal Complaint: An issue typically involving a billing, payment, service quality or safety
issue that requires PSC staff to contact the utility company for mediation or resolution. It
does not necessarily mean the utility has violated Commission rules and regulations or the
company’s tariff.
Utility cooperation is critical.
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Educate Consumers : on such issues as billing, service outages, inter-company processes,
installation process and assistance programs.
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Timely Response with Complete Information: Respond on disconnects within 1 business
day and for all other issues within 3-15 business days. Provide as much detail as possible to
avoid Consumer Services staff requesting additional information (Follow Check list
developed by the Commission on various categories of complaints)
MoPSC-Complaints Handling Procedure
 Formal Complaints
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If complainant is not satisfied with the outcome of the informal complaint, as
an appeal process, a formal complaint may be filed.
The Commission may order, at any time after the filing of a formal complaint,
an answer from the utility regarding the allegations and an additional
investigation by the staff as to the facts of the complaint. The utility shall file an
answer and staff shall file a report of its findings with the commission and all
parties to the complaint case.
The Commission orders a pre-hearing so that the parties can discuss any
additional discovery necessary, state the list of witnesses and exhibit. Parties
shall provide a list of suggested dates and estimated length of the hearing to
the Judge. The Judge then encourages the parties to discuss possible
settlement.
The Commission after receiving notice from the parties will determine if a
hearing shall be held and shall set date, time and place of the hearing.
MoPSC- Information Data System
 Called EFIS- Electronic Filing and Information
 A customized solution - A web based application for:
• Electronic filing, tariffs and registration
• Imaging with OCR
• Automated workflow
• Centralized file repository
• Full text search engine
• Consumer complaint management
• Performance metrics and reports
• Resource library
 Planning to upgrade to a Microsoft SharePoint based solution
Strategic Benefits to MoPSC
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MPSC handles consumer complaints more quickly;
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Utility companies save time and money with electronic filings;
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Legislators, policy makers and constituents know more about utility rates and issues.
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Elimination of transfer time (between steps);
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Estimated savings $2.6M/year;
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25% productivity gain;
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Time savings of 2 hours per employee per day realized in many departments
(Administration Estimates for FY2003).
Indiana Utility Regulatory
Commission(IURC)
 Five Commissioners appointed by the Governor with the
advice and consent of the Indiana Senate for a four-year
term.
 Consumer Affairs Division serves as liaison between utility
rate payers and the Utility.
 Consumer Affairs Division handles residential and small
business complaints
IURC-Complaints Handling Procedure
Prerequisite:
 The customer has to attempt to resolve the matter with the
Utility company prior to contacting CAD.
 If the customer is not satisfied, he or she may contact the
CAD to file a complaint.
 The Utility is required to inform the customer to
contact CAD within 7 days of Utility’s resolution
 The CAD does not have the discretion to accept
complaints outside the 7-day timeframe.
IURC-Complaints Handling Procedure
Complaint Process is IT based:
 Complaint received by telephone to a Hotline, fax, letter or email
 there is IN-TAKER that receives all calls/complaints and registers
them
 Customer’s info entered into database
 Complaint assigned to Analyst
 Analyst forwards complaints to Utility
 Utility addresses complaint
 Analyst investigates Utility’s reply and applies rules & regulations
 A decision is made
 Resolution conveyed to customer & utility
IURC-Complaints Handling Procedure
 Dispute Resolution Options:
• Informal Process
– Analyst advises customer of right to request a Director’s review
within 7 days.
– Director reviews case with powers to request for additional
information from both parties and renders a decision and mails a
written copy of disposition to customer and the utility.
• Formal Process
– The customer has 20 days form receipt of Director’s review to
request an appeal to the full Commission.
– After an appeal is requested the case is given a docket number
and is assigned an Administrative Law Judge.
– The Commission will only review what is on record and its
decision is binding.
IURC- Information Technology
Management
 Current database is based on Microsoft Dynamics CRM
-Has electronic complaints form where customer info is entered
- Standard Reports from the database are displayed as Microsoft excel
files
- Ability to view Pending cases, Flagged cases, Completed cases e.t.c.
- Some utilities grants limited access to IURC to view customer
information via a website.
 Has commenced the upgrading of their system to a Microsoft SharePoint
/ Dynamics XRM solution.
Benefits to IURC
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MPSC handles consumer complaints more quickly;
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Utility companies save time and money with electronic filings;
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Legislators, policy makers and constituents know more about utility rates and issues.
•
Elimination of transfer time (between steps);
•
Estimated savings $2.6M/year;
•
25% productivity gain;
•
Time savings of 2 hours per employee per day realized in many departments
(Administration Estimates for FY2003).
Lessons Learnt
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IT based Complaints Handling solution is a win- win –win situation for the Regulator, Utility
and Customer
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Single point of contact for all complaints
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Cooperation of Utilities is a critical component
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It assists in ensuring timelines for complaints’ resolution are adhered to
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Adherence to service standards are observed
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Assists in performance measurement; internally and externally
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It eliminates ex-parte issues
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It leverages on Credit Bureau to ensure customer credibility to pay electricity bills and check
financial abuse by customers.
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It provides easy access to data to enhance enforcement
Way Forward
• There should be a ‘chinese wall’ in the Commission so as not to
compromise the objectivity of the Commission during formal Hearings
• NERC should begin to optimally use its IT tools i.e. SharePoint ,Outlook
• More NERC staff should involved in the Partnership activity both abroad
and locally
• Build a better relationship between the Commission and Utilities through
quarterly meetings, information sharing and designation of liaison officers
THANK YOU
Contact us at:
Adamawa Plaza, Plot 1099 First Avenue,
Off Shehu Shagari Way,
Central Business District,
Abuja
Website: www.nercng.org
E-mail: [email protected]
Electricity on Demand
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