ERC issues Code of Conduct for competitive retail market participants
The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) issued Resolution No. 31, series of 2006 during its regular meeting on June 7, 2006. The resolution adopts the Code of Conduct for the Competitive Retail Market Participant.
The Competitive
Retail Market Participants include the retail electricity suppliers (RES), the
local RES, the distribution utilities (DUs), entities duly authorized to operate
in the economic zones, and the Contestable
Market.
“The ERC adopted the Code of Conduct to gain the confidence of electricity consumers in the retail electricity market and to ensure non-discriminatory access to regulated electricity services,” ERC Chairman Rodolfo B. Albano, Jr. said.
The Code sets the standards of behavior in marketing electricity service at the retail level. It also details the marketing responsibilities and contractual obligations of the participants, as well as the complaint handling procedures for customers.
The participants and their representatives are enjoined by the Code to observe confidential handling of information provided by the customer in connection with his application for electricity service.
Further, the Code requires the issuance of a disclosure statement to the customer to ensure honesty, fairness and transparency by the competitive retail market participants in dealing with the customer.
In marketing
its services, the RES, among others, must: 1) observe truthful advertising;
2) avoid misleading the customers; 3) provide the contact information of the
ERC in marketing collaterals and advertisements to allow a customer to make
clarifications on the information contained therein; and 4) have marketing representatives
with proper identification, full product knowledge and who are well-informed
on the Code and factual in his sales presentation.
“The ERC hopes that the electricity providers participating in the competitive
retail electricity market will faithfully comply with the Code to gain the trust
and confidence of the end-consumers,” Chairman Albano said.
July 11, 2006