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DOE Issues Guidelines for the Submission of Distribution Utilities’ Reports
On 14 March 2023, the Department of Energy (“DOE”) issued Department Circular No. DC2023-03-0005 (“Circular”) to provide a supplemental policy for the systematic management of the DOE reportorial requirements for Distribution Utilities (“DU”). For purposes of the Circular, DUs refer to any electric cooperative, private corporation, government-owned utility, or existing government unit which has an exclusive franchise to operate a distribution system.
All submission of reports by the DUs shall be done through the DOE Electric Power Database Management System (“DEPDMS”) Web Portal using the data structures and standard templates detailed in the following Annexes of the Circular:
Annex No. | Title | Frequency of Submission |
Annex A.1 | Guidelines in Filling-up Monthly Operations Report – DU Supply Data (“MOR-DSD”) Template | Monthly Operations Reports shall be submitted not later than the last day of the month following the billing month. |
Annex A.2 | Template for MOR-DSD | |
Annex B.1 | Guidelines in Filling-up Monthly Operations Report – Customer Sales Data (“MOR-CSD”) Template | |
Annex B.2 | Template for MOR-CSD | |
Annex C.1 | Guidelines in Filling-up Monthly Operations Report – Wheeling Customer Data (“MOR-WCD”) Template | |
Annex C.2 | Template for MOR-WCD | |
Annex D.1 | Guidelines in Filling-up Monthly Operation Report – DU Technical Data (“MOR-DTD”) Template | |
Annex D.2 | Template for MOR-DTD | |
Annex E.1 | Guidelines in Filling-up Monthly Operation Report – Unbundled Rates (“MOR-UR”) Template | |
Annex E.2 | Template for MOR-UR | |
Annex F.1 | Guidelines in Filling-up DU General Information (“DU-PROFILE”) Template | To be submitted by 31 January of every year and updated as necessary. |
Annex F.2 | Template for DU-PROFILE |
The Circular emphasized that all data submitted through the DEPDMS Web Portal, and other alternative means shall be treated with utmost confidentiality. All gathered information shall be solely used for the DOE’s monitoring, planning and policy development and shall not in any way be used as evidence in court and other legal and administrative proceedings.
The DOE, if it deems necessary, shall circulate advisories and/or applicable issuances to expand the list of data and reports stated in the Annexes of the Circular. Amendments of Appendices shall be made as necessary by the Electric Power Industry Management Bureau, which shall inform the concerned electric power industry participants through an advisory.
The deadline for submission of reports covering January 2023 and February 2023 was 31 March 2023. Thereafter, regular deadlines shall be observed.
To implement the obligations in the Circular, the Energy Regulatory Commission (“ERC”) shall promulgate supporting guidelines that provide both incentives to encourage compliance and penalties for non-compliance. As of this writing, the ERC has yet to issue the supporting guidelines.