PROVIDENCE – It’s been two years since Pennsylvania-based PPL Corporation took over the Ocean State’s biggest energy utility and renamed it Rhode Island Energy .
The switch wouldn’t have been all that noticeable to most consumers except for the new name of the company on their electric and natural gas bills.
But on Aug. 19 Rhode Island Energy will roll out a series of changes that will be harder to miss. They’ll include a new website design, a new billing processing system and a single phone number to reach the company’s new 300-person customer service center in Cumberland.
The centerpiece of the changes will be a new-look bill . The charges on it won’t be different but the presentation will be.
More: Confused by your Rhode Island electric bill? Here's a breakdown of all the charges.
The intent is to make it easier for customers to understand how much energy they’re using; what they’re paying for supply and delivery; and how those numbers compare with previous months and the previous year.
The changes – and actions customers need to take to update their online profiles and passwords – are detailed at RIEnergy.com/changes .
“These are the changes that will be most impactful to customers,” said Greg Cornett, the new president of Rhode Island Energy.
Cornett, a Kentucky native who took over operations in Rhode Island in March after working as a lawyer for PPL’s business in his home state, sat down with The Journal to discuss the changes.
He also answered questions about energy prices, the company’s role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and what it’s doing to modernize the electric grid.
The following has been edited for length and clarity.
Q: We’ve been on this rollercoaster ride with energy prices for a while, with prices going up in the winter and down in the summer, but in the past couple of years the highs have been even higher. Do you expect that trend to continue?
A: We’re in the final stages of our procurement for the winter season, so I can’t give you specific numbers. I would expect that the winter rates would be roughly comparable to what customers saw last year . We are actively looking at changes to our procurement methods to take even further advantage of the spot market, when it’s cheaper, to keep our prices as low as we possibly can.
[Rhode Island Energy buys most of its energy ahead of when it’s needed. The company purchases only 10% of supplies on the spot market. But it recently filed a proposal with state utility regulators to increase that number to 15%.]
But the spot market can be volatile. We want to balance the risk there with the potential benefit.
Q: You and other utilities are in the midst of a procurement for more offshore wind. Can you give us an update on what’s going on?
A: Given the confidentiality of the proceedings and the status of where we are, the only update I can give is that we are continuing a lot of work to evaluate those bids . [Rhode Island is working with Connecticut and Massachusetts on the solicitation process.]
We are working closely with the other two states, as well as officials here in Rhode Island. We’re still targeting a late summer/early fall decision.
Q: Can you say anything about how prices compare with past projects?
A: Without running afoul of confidentiality obligations, I don’t think I can share anything.
Q: Developers say offshore wind will eventually save ratepayers money in the long run. Do you have any opinion on how offshore wind will affect rates?
A: There are so many external factors that could come into play that could affect pricing. What I can say is that with the very aggressive goals we have in Rhode Island for renewable energy , wind absolutely has to be a significant portion. We keep a close eye on those prices, and in some ways the market hasn’t completely settled on what that pricing will be going forward.
Q: What’s the latest news on the rollout of smart electric meters?
A: We expect the initial meter sets to be going out in May of next year. As we move forward in this next phase in August, customers will start hearing more about those changes .
Q: Can you run through some of the benefits of advanced meters to consumers?
A: In a nutshell, they’re providing customers detailed information on their usage. They can be aware of that in near real-time and remotely. They can be on vacation and see what’s using energy in their homes and make adjustments. Over time, that will also allow us to look at different rate offerings, for example, time-of-use rates. [These include rates that would be lower during off-peak hours so people with, say, electric cars could save money on charging.]
Q: Do you think that energy reductions through the use of advanced meters could tamp down the need for new power lines and other infrastructure?
A: Absolutely. We are looking at a full suite of technologies to keep costs down to avoid the need for a new transmission line, for example, or the need to acquire new generating capacity.
Q: This is part of the plan to modernize the electric grid. So is integrating more renewables. Is that a complication for your company?
A: No, it’s an opportunity for us. We are in a very dynamic environment right now. It’s an all-of-the-above approach that we’re trying to incorporate.
Q: What about capacity? Do you see problems with supply constraints as we continue to electrify more parts of the economy?
A: I absolutely see there’s a risk. We keep a very close eye on that. We are in a very constrained environment in New England. [The problems with a lack of pipeline capacity for natural gas, the dominant fuel for electric generation, are well known in the region.] So we have to be very thoughtful and very conscious of reliability for our customers.
Q: Do you think that’s going to be an impediment to switching to electric heat pumps and bringing more electric vehicles online?
A: I don’t think it’s necessarily an impediment, but it’s a factor that we have to take into account.
Q: There are larger policy goals that we wean ourselves off natural gas. Do you think gas still has a role to play in our heating system in Rhode Island?
A: In the near term, absolutely. I find it difficult to see a solution for us, even one that meets our climate goals, that doesn’t include some role for natural gas.
Q: What do you think of bans on new gas hookups?
A: Those are questions best left to policymakers and regulators. But it’s been difficult for those things to be successful in other parts of the country. It’s the type of thing being discussed in the Future of Gas docket [a proceeding currently before Rhode Island utility regulators]. That’s the appropriate forum to consider the pros and cons.
What I can say is we as a company are 100% in support of the climate goals in Rhode Island. There is no hesitancy, no question about that at all. We are simply trying to meet those goals while ensuring reliability and affordability for our customers.
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Billing changes, energy prices, offshore wind: Q&A with Rhode Island Energy's new president
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