On June 10, the National Energy and Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (NEPURC) adopted a decision simplifying the procedure for changing the gas supplier for household consumers. In particular, changes will be made to the Gas Transmission System Code, Gas Distribution System Code, the Rules for the Supply of Natural Gas and the Standard Contract for the Supply of Natural Gas to Household Consumers.

DiXi Group experts provided a number of proposals for this decision, and most of them were taken into account by the Regulator, according to a comment on the website of NGO DIXI GROUP.

Such requirements for changing the supplier as obtaining a written certificate of no arrears or drawing up a certificate of reconciliation of settlements, or concluding a schedule of repayment of debt to the supplier have been eliminated. This will allow consumers to apply for connection to a new supplier without artificial barriers and is in line with the recommendations of the Council of European Energy Regulators (CEER).

However, it should be noted that from now on the annex to the Standard Contract for the Supply of Natural Gas to Household Consumers provides for the signing of the following declaration: “I also hereby confirm that I have no debt arrears for the natural gas consumed to the previous supplier and realize the inevitability of the responsibility determined by the civil and criminal legislation in the event of providing false information.”

The procedure for changing the supplier takes place in almost automatic mode on the TSO information platform.

“After receiving an application from a consumer, a new supplier has 3 days to agree or refuse to enter into a contract. In case of a positive decision, a supplier includes a consumer in its register, which results in exclusion from the previous supplier’s register. The procedure lasts maximum 21 days, the fact for concluding a gas supply contract is the registration of a consumer in a register of a new supplier,” the comment says.

In addition, the ability to submit the documents required to change the supplier in electronic form is a positive step.

“This will greatly simplify the process of submitting the application for connection and accompanying documents for consumers, as well as is fully in line with European practice,” experts say.

However, there is no need to submit the entire package of documents, as the DSO (regional gas company), to which the consumer is connected, has all data and they can be accessed by a new supplier through the TSO electronic platform using the EIS code (to be specified by the consumer).

Ukrayinska Energetyka wrote that it is planned to improve the service of changing the gas supplier. It will be enough for consumers to notify a new supplying company of such a wish, and then to receive confirmation of switching from it.

Instead, the participation or providing confirmation on the part of the current natural gas supplier in the change process is not provided for. The availability of debts will also no longer be a reason to refuse to switch to another company. Everything is by analogy with TV or Internet providers.

The relevant draft decision was approved by the National Energy and Public Utilities Regulatory Commission on March 25.