Roundup of key developments in competitive retail energy markets around the country.

Massachusetts appears set to defer major retail market and other changes. The House has introduced Study Order H5324, which would allow the joint Telecommunications, Utilities, and Energy Committee to sit in legislative recess to investigate the Inspector General’s bill H15 and the Governor’s bill H4144. H15 seeks to strengthen surety requirements and penalties and to close enforcement gaps for the state’s renewable electricity supplier programs, including the RPS, APS, and CES portfolio standards. H4144 is an extremely broad bill that would “reform the residential competitive retail supply market” in addition to ending the APS and having a wide range of other effects. Notably, the study order was not accompanied by the omnibus H5175, a “response” to H4144 that includes a number of similar reforms as well as increased focus on affordability. That bill remains in the Senate Ways and Means Committee, having been passed to be engrossed by the House in February.

Maryland legislation would slightly roll back some SB1 provisions. On April 13, House Bill HB1532 passed the Maryland legislature and is expected to be signed by Gov. Wes Moore. The Utility RELIEF (Reducing Energy Load Inflation for Everyday Families) Act makes significant changes to the energy market and regulatory framework in Maryland. Most notably for retail suppliers, the legislation would slightly widen the options for retail suppliers to offer products to residential customers in the moribund Maryland market, including by:

• allowing suppliers to offer electricity, other than green power, at a price that does not exceed the following percentages of the electric utility’s standard offer service rate as of the date of agreement with the customer (compared with the current requirement that the supplier rate not exceed the utility’s trailing 12–month average SOS rate]: (i) 100% for a term up to 23 months; (ii) 105% for a term of 24-35 months; and (iii) 110% for a term of 36 months;
• limiting residential supply terms to 36 months;
• allowing suppliers to offer residential electricity supply for a term not to exceed 36 months at a time (compared with the current 12-month term limit);
• allowing for green power offers but prohibiting such offers from automatically renewing with the customer;
• allowing non-green-power electricity supply contracts to automatically renew if the supplier provides notice to the customer 90 days and 30 days before renewal; and
• allowing a residential electricity supplier to offer a variable rate only if it does one of the following: (i) uses time–of–use rates that establish different rates for periods within a single day; (ii) adjusts for seasonal variation not more than twice a year; and (iii) does not exceed the electric utility’s SOS rate at any time during the agreement with the customer.

Maine enacts community choice aggregation legislation. As signed into law by Maine Gov. Mills on April 13, House Bill LD2112 authorizes municipalities and tribal communities to establish community choice aggregation (CCA) programs. CCA implementation specifications would include that it be opt-out for default service customers but require affirmative consent for retail supplier, low-income, and net metering customers. The Maine PUC must initiate a rulemaking by January 1, 2027

to establish rules including: (1) CCA establishment and approval processes and standards;(2) timing and notice requirements and opt-in and opt-out procedures; (3) requirements for consumer protection and transparency and data sharing, including a standard competitive electricity provider service agreement to provide for ongoing data sharing; and (4) provisions to minimize impacts to default service, “to the greatest extent practicable.”

Delaware changes electric choice customer solicitation, billing transparency, and contract notice requirements. On April 8, the Delaware PSC issued an order on the proposed amendments to the DEPSC’s customer solicitation process, notification of supplier rates on customer bills, and other changes to improve the customer experience regarding the electric choice process. More specifically, suppliers must provide at least 30 days before any change in fixed price or material contract terms, clearly explaining the new terms and the customer’s options, which increases compliance tracking and notice management requirements. For contract expiration, suppliers are required to send a detailed ‘options notice’ before the end of a fixed-term agreement, outlining renewal terms and how customers can switch or return to default service. Regarding cancellation and renewal, customers must be given the ability to cancel without penalty if transitioned to a new term or otherwise be placed on a month-to-month product with no early termination fee, limiting suppliers’ ability to lock in customers.

Ohio proposes rule revisions to align with recent legislative changes. On April 14, the PUCO issued for comment proposed Staff revisions to the existing rules governing utility default service. According to the PUCO, Staff has proposed: “…changing the title of the chapter, modifications to several definitions for clarity, removal of references to Electric Security Plans (ESPs) to harmonize the rules with the recently passed Sub. HB 15, which eliminated ESPs, deletion of the requirement that a technical conference be held, and other changes to improve formatting and clarity.” Comments are due by May 11.

Pennsylvania considers new and ongoing utility cases. On April 16, at a public hearing, the Pennsylvania PUC voted to modify a joint settlement with UGI–Gas Division concerning alleged violations of customer contact requirements prior to terminating residential natural gas service in 2022 and 2023. Under the modified settlement, UGI is required to contribute $200,000 to its Hardship Fund following self-reported incidents. The PAPUC’s Tentative Opinion and Order revises a March 2025 agreement between UGI and t Staffat the same hearing, the PAPUC ordered that the $163 million rate increase by Peoples Natural Gas be suspended until December 26 pending an investigation, and similarly voted unanimously to suspend and investigate a rate increase request filed by UGI-Electric Division.

Connecticut files supplier-critical annual report with legislature. On April 1, PURA in Connecticut filed the final version of its annual electric competition report with the legislature. The report claims: (1) supplier customers “overpay” compared with default service, saying in part: “As has been well documented by OCC, customers with licensed electric suppliers have historically paid significantly more than customers with standard service. During the 11-year period from January 2015 through December 2025, residential customers collectively overpaid over $227 million more than they would have paid on standard service…residential customers collectively paid, in aggregate, more than $25 million more than they would have paid on standard service in 2025”; (2) as of December 31, 2025, 33 electric suppliers were licensed, 66,517 (18.9%) of UI customers were served by electric suppliers, and 219,500 (16.6%) of Eversource customers were served by electric suppliers (market share by supplier and class are available on Table 1 of the report); (3) the percentage of business and last resort service customers enrolled with suppliers in 2025 was a range of 41–43% for business customers and 84–88% for LRS customers; (4) there were no enforcement actions taken with respect to licensed electric suppliers in 2025; and (5)calendar year 2025 saw supplier complaints decrease by 42% compared to 2024. OCC filed a letter complimenting a draft version of the report, saying “The Report illustrates the continued concerns that exist regarding customers choosing to enroll with a supplier. The overwhelming majority of customers that contracted with a supplier paid far more for electric supply, totaling more than $27 million overpaid by Connecticut customers in 2025. Even business customers, whom the Authority has historically presumed to be savvier in navigating the supplier market, almost universally overpaid suppliers in the Eversource territory for the second half of the year. This highlights the continued need for regulation of the supplier market and the continued need for customers enrolling with a supplier to monitor their rates. At a time when energy affordability is paramount for all Connecticut residents, overpayment for supply only exacerbates any difficulties customers experience in affording their bills. "

In Brief: On April 14, the New York-Sun Program Manual was updated to clarify prevailing wage requirements. All projects submitted since the release of Version 22 must comply with these requirements. The revised manual is now available on the NY-Sun Resources for Contractors page…on April 16, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced that more than $125 million is now available to support energy efficiency and electrification upgrades to affordable multifamily housing across upstate New York. On March 20, the Ontario Energy Board issued 2026 annual updates for reporting and recordkeeping electricity licensees and natural gas marketers, which apply to annual filings due on or after April 30 unless otherwise noted . More details can be found here..

In Other Markets: On April 15, Colorado lawmakers advanced Optimize Colorado Electric Transmission System legislation aimed at modernizing the state’s electric transmission system by requiring utilities to evaluate advanced transmission technologies in long-term planning. The bill directs the COPUC to adopt rules ensuring utilities consider tools such as software upgrades to improve grid capacity, instead of relying solely on new transmission construction. Supporters say the measure is designed to speed up delivery of electricity, reduce congestion, and lower costs for ratepayers by making better use of existing infrastructure. Utilities would also be required to report on how these technologies are evaluated in their 10-year transmission plans.

Commission Comings-and-Goings: Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee announced his nomination of Donna Sams to the RIPUC on March 31. Sams has no previous energy or utilities experience, but rather is known to the governor in part for her participation in the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation’s Board of Directors, which she has served on since 2015 and was reappointed to by Gov. McKee in 2023. Sams served as a partner and senior consultant at Spencer Consulting Group, where she specialized in strategic planning development for corporate, nonprofit, and public sector organizations. Prior to this role, Sams served as an information technology executive at Fortune 50 companies, including Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield and CVS Caremark Corporation.

In Other News: Former senior Maryland PSC advisor Molly Knoll penned an op-ed on April 4 in the Maryland Reporter on bipartisan legislation to encourage more grid utilization reporting in the Old Line State…Utility Dive did a longform piece on the increasing use of data center and large load customer tariffs by state regulators on March 31.