Direct Energy has petitioned for rehearing of a Public Utilities Commission of Ohio order which allows Duke Energy Ohio to offer various non-regulated services.

See EnergyChoiceMatters.com for background on PUCO's decision

Of note, Direct Energy has, on rehearing, emphasized a practical implication of the expansion of Duke Energy Ohio's services to include non-utility services -- namely, how will such services be billed, particularly given that Duke currently operates a utility consolidated billing/purchase of receivables program

Direct noted that to the extent Duke is permitted to use the utility bill for collection of its charges for value-adding non-regulated services, this could lead to disparity in the retail market, if retail suppliers are not granted similar bill access.

Direct asks:

• How will Duke ensure it offers the same billing and collection services to other competitors in the market, including competitive retail electric supply (“CRES”) providers?

• Does Duke plan to offer these billing and collection services outside of the purchase of receivables (“POR”) realm to ensure that a CRES provider can put both charges on the bill without issue (e.g. that Duke can separate out POR-eligible charges from POR-ineligible charges and remit appropriately to a CRES provider)?

• Is there additional programming to put these costs on customer bills? If no, who paid for the programming to put these costs on customer bills? In addition, Duke should be required to provide this service on an equal footing to all suppliers of the other products and services. If there is additional programming needed, then those costs should be allocated equitably.

Direct also raises objections to PUCO's order on other grounds, see Direct's rehearing request for full details